Jan 31, 2014

Maybe you know your spouse is planning to file for divorce or you plan to file. Something may be holding it up, such as the money necessary or something else, but you know its coming. This is a difficult situation and can cause you to ask many questions in preparation for divorce.

What Should You Be Doing?

Depending on which end of the divorce you're on and what you already know about the household, there are many things you should do to prepare for a divorce. Some of the things to consider include:

• Learning about the family finances
• Check you and your spouse's credit for an accurate list of debts
• Understand what is right for your children
• Contact a divorce attorney for a consultation
• Consider joining a support group
• Start making a plan for what you'll do after the divorce is final

All of these things are a good use of the waiting period after the divorce is filed or even before it's filed.

Whether you have to wait for the divorce to be final or you know it will be filed, but it hasn't been yet, use your time wisely. During the waiting period, you can start working on healing emotionally through therapy and/or a support group. This is also a great time to learn as much as you can about budgeting and the expenses you will incur living without your spouse's income.

Change can be Difficult

You may get custody of your children for the majority of the time and you may start receiving child support or alimony. When this is the case, there's a lot of change going on and may seem overwhelming.

Consulting with an attorney is the first step and they can recommend a financial advisor, support groups and therapist with experience in divorce.