A Step-by-Step Guide to Preparing for Divorce

Update on

Nobody usually gets into a marriage with the preconceived notion of getting a divorce.

However, if you are a woman and, for whatever reason, are now considering divorce, either for personal reasons or due to the fact your husband has declared his intention to separate from you, you must be wondering what first steps you should take. If you are like most people, you will be thinking of how to get an affordable or inexpensive divorce. You can count on a divorce attorney in houston texas to help you with your problem.

This article is designed to guide you through the step-by-step process of getting an affordable and stress-free divorce,

Preparing for Divorce


Save Up

Most people usually assume getting a petition from the court is the first step; more importantly, they are trying to have something—no matter how little—saved up to be able to pay for things, like getting an attorney or new housing arrangements during the divorce process.


Consider an Alternative to Divorce

Even if your relationship with your spouse is headed for the rocks, for financial reasons a separation may be a better and inexpensive choice.

In a situation where you are self-employed or your company does not cover your insurance, you may rely on your husband’s benefits such as his medical insurance for your medical expenses. If you and your husband are not embroiled in a dirty divorce or planning to remarry anytime soon, a separation may be the objectively wise and pragmatic choice.


Get a Divorce Attorney

Divorce Attorney

Filling out divorce papers can be tedious, as each divorce situation is different, therefore it requires a different approach. That is why it is usually better to employ the service of a professional trained in sorting through all the paperwork to help get the best deal for you.

Your divorce attorney is trained to help you understand the full import of your decision and the scope of your marital estate while unearthing all hidden assets, and develop your settlement strategy before you go ahead with filing the papers. Rather than have a prolonged court battle your attorney is also obligated to discuss the different settlement proposals such as mediation and collaborative divorce.


Get In Touch With a Divorce Agency

This is for those looking to get an online divorce. Getting a divorce agency is rather inexpensive and helps to save you from physical stress. If you are planning to get an online divorce, get in touch with an easy to access and user-friendly online divorce agency that would help in arranging and processing your divorce documents according to your state's laws.

  • Registration and State Legislation

After registering with the agency, pick the state that you or your spouse live in and go through the rules and regulations for your state. Each state has different rules governing them, so if you and your spouse are not living in the same state you should review the rules binding both states and file for divorce in the state which has the most favorable rules and requirements, as well as a minimal waiting period.

  • Log-in and Access Your Account

After logging in, questions related to your divorce are sent to you as prompters to guide you. The questions are provided using simple and easy explanations that will allow you to answer without encountering difficulties.

If you don't feel like completing the whole procedure on that single day, don't worry because you can access your account at any given time. The information that is filled in is never lost, thus giving people a chance to complete once they are free. The account usually remains open as long as the owner wants it to be.

  • Printing and Filing Documentation

After you are through with the process above, the documents will be accessible online. Use your printer to print and then sign the documents. As many changes can be made on your forms as you like, and then you can reprint them until you are satisfied with the details entered on the forms, with no additional costs incurred. Instructions are provided for you. All you have to do is go to court and file the documents. You may avoid making a court appearance, provided it is allowed by the rules governing the state, by simply sending in all your documents by mail or fax.

If you are looking for a quick do-it-yourself divorce, then online divorce might just be the best option offering a lot of advantages such as

  • Providing an affordable means of getting a divorce by ensuring that your money will not be used in legal fees
  • A fast and easy process in filing your divorce papers
  • Accurate and up to date forms
  • An inexpensive solution to your divorce problems,
  • Online and unrestricted access to professional advice while ensuring you divorce papers that are approved by an attorney
  • Most usually have good customer service
  • Also, you are given multiple chances to change your forms without any additional cost
  • Members do not have to be resident of that particular state to become a member and get a divorce from there

Search for Hidden Assets

The easiest way to get your fair share of your marital estate is knowing the full scope of the assets you and your husband own. Many women are surprised to learn the full value of their husband’s business, and some have no idea that their husbands own land or extra vehicles. It becomes increasingly difficult to identify the assets owned by your spouse after you serve your husband with divorce papers.

When he realizes that he may lose a big chunk of his wealth, he could become sneaky and try hiding his prized assets that you are not privy to. All this just emphasizes the reason why it is important to search for all assets and ensure an estimate is determined before the divorce from your spouse.


Improve Your Resume

If your husband earns a lot and he is responsible for the entire financial burden of the house, this might encourage the woman not to work and instead just stay at home. If this is the case, as you prepare for divorce, this might be a good time to polish and update your resume while simultaneously putting out feelers for vacancies.

This is because divorce means you're most likely going to need a source of income to get by. While you can certainly ask for alimony (a.k.a spousal support) or child support in the case where children are involved, there is a strong probability it will not be enough to keep you afloat. It will be much better to preempt this and plunge into the labor market before your divorce papers are served and you are on your own.


Prepare for the Financial Reality of Divorce

Financial Reality

It is statistically proven that most women experience a significant dip in their standard of living after a divorce. It is important, therefore, to consider the financial reality as you start to consider a divorce.

You, therefore, have to live within your means; this includes the inability to pay for the life you used to live before to avoid creditors coming to call. A post-divorce budget should be drawn to guide you.


Attend a Divorce Workshop

It is believed that the best preparation for the divorce is to attend a Divorce workshop in your area or online. Where do-it-yourself divorce methods are explained thoroughly. At these workshops, different speakers such as divorce attorneys, divorce financial specialists, psychologists, and other professionals provide you with the tools you need to prepare for this huge life change.


Conclusion

Getting a divorce can be a complicated process but with proper planning and the right preemptive steps it can be an easier process, all achieved at an affordable price.

Pin It on Pinterest