Before Filing for Divorce Archives - Fort Mill Family Law Attorneys

Last Ditch Efforts Before Filing for Divorce: Save Your Marriage

Talk it Out

One thing to do before filing for divorce is to talk it out with your partner. Set aside a time just for this conversation. Pick a time when neither of you is stressed or angry with the other. Schedule it in advance and choose a place where you are comfortable that is not your own house. Discuss the seriousness of your relationship issues and decide if you both are willing to put in the effort to save your marriage.

Go to Counseling

Another thing that many couples try before filing for divorce is marriage counseling. Often, one of the main issues in a marriage is communication. A therapist is a great resource to help you develop better ways to communicate with one another. They can also help you with big life changes and give you ways to handle disputes more healthily.

Take a Short Break

One last-ditch effort to save your marriage before filing for divorce is to take a short break. This is not a formal separation. Therefore, set a time limit of a week or so. Take the time to sort out your feelings and get some space. Sometimes, having a little time to reflect alone can give you the perspective you need to see both sides of an issue.

Work on Yourself

Finally, it’s always a good idea to work on yourself but especially before filing for divorce. Speak with a therapist to help you sort out some of the emotions you are feeling. Try to let go of the victim mentality and see if you can get some perspective on your partner’s side of your issues. Sometimes when we are unhappy, it can show up as relationship issues. We blame our partners for the negative emotions we feel towards ourselves. A therapist can help you sort through these feelings.

If you are trying to save your marriage, there are some steps you can take before filing for divorce. It’s important to try everything you can so that you don’t have regrets later in life. Divorce is a serious step to take and an intense process. You want to make sure that you are ready for it before you file. Make sure that you and your partner have taken the time to have a real and serious conversation about your future. Set time aside in your schedule and plan the discussion so that you don’t say things in the heat of an argument. Try marriage counseling together or speaking to a therapist on your own. And you can take a short break to get some perspective as well. Hopefully, some of these suggestions will help you save your marriage and will allow you to grow as a couple.

There are several financial steps to take before filing for a divorce that can help you in the long run. Being organized before you’ve even announced to your partner that you want to separate can help you protect yourself and your assets. The first thing you’ll want to do is hire an experienced divorce attorney to represent your best interests. You’ll also want to organize your finances. Establish credit in your name if you haven’t already. And finally, close joint accounts or remove half the savings to protect yourself financially. Divorce can be incredibly stressful but a little prep work before you begin will be very helpful later.

Financial Steps to Take Before Filing for Divorce: Protect Yourself and Assets

Hire an Attorney

The first step to take before filing for divorce is to hire an experienced divorce attorney. They’ll be able to guide you and give you a breakdown of exactly what things you should be doing. They’ll be representing your best interests and will be a helpful asset to have on your side. Make sure that you find an attorney you are comfortable with and be honest with them.

Organize Your Finances

The next step you’ll want to take before filing for divorce is to organize your finances. Figure out what your and your spouse’s overall assets and debts are. You will hopefully split all of these things equally during the settlement. But your attorney needs to have a clear picture of what your financial situation looks like so they can fight for you. You’ll also want to organize documents relating to proof of income, student loan debts, and tax returns.

Establish Credit

If you don’t already have credit in your name, you’ll need to establish credit before filing for divorce. Some couples only have joint accounts. If this is the case, before you even announce your divorce to your partner, you’ll want to quietly begin building credit in your name. This is so that you’ll be able to buy a car or rent your own space once the divorce is over. One way to do this is to take out a credit card in your name only and begin using it and paying it off.

Close Joint Accounts

Finally, one final step to take before filing for divorce is to protect your assets in shared accounts. You need to protect yourself financially If you are worried that your spouse will raid your joint accounts and empty them. You can remove half of the money and move it to an account only in your name. In addition, it’s a good idea to close joint credit accounts so that your ex cannot run up charges that you’ll later have to negotiate in court. It’s less complicated if you can simply pay off any joint credit cards and then keep your finances separate moving forward until the divorce is over.

Divorce is stressful and complicated. It can also be extremely expensive. You want to start on the right foot by financially preparing yourself before filing for divorce. Hire a good divorce attorney so that they can guide you through the divorce proceedings. In addition, evaluate your overall financial health and organize the paperwork you might need. If you haven’t already, establish healthy credit in your name. And finally, protect money in your joint accounts and close credit accounts that are held in both your names. Hopefully, you’ll be able to protect yourself financially and get what you want out of your divorce settlement.