When you wrap up your divorce, you don’t want to say to yourself, “Hindsight is 20/20.” Instead, you want to look back with confidence and be proud about how it all worked out. If you’re contemplating a divorce, there’s no one better than a seasoned divorce attorney to tell you what you need to know about divorce.
Here is what you need to know to navigate your divorce emotionally and financially.
1. You may need 6 to 12 months to recover emotionally.
You may be a strong person, and you may have been contemplating the divorce
for years, but don’t be surprised if the divorce hits you hard.
Understand that everyone bounces back when they’re ready, so don’t
be hard on yourself if you don’t feel like socializing in the beginning.
2. Don’t hire just any attorney.
You may want to think twice about hiring the same attorney that fought
your DUI for your divorce. Instead of hiring a lawyer who only dabbles
in divorce, you may be better off hiring one who practices family law
exclusively. Someone who knows the state laws and local judges.
3. Take a close look at your joint finances.
Roughly 40% of a divorce proceeding are all about finances. So, our advice
to you is to obtain as much information about your joint accounts ASAP,
so you can be well-informed from the onset.
Even if you’re the “out spouse,” you need to learn all of the online passwords to accounts, the account numbers, whose name is on the accounts, and the names and numbers of the investment advisors. As your divorce attorney about how to gather this information.
4. Calculate your future living expenses now.
As time passes, your emotions will heal and the divorce will be over,
but the financial impact of making a poor decision due to a lack of understanding
can last indefinitely. Figure out your future living expenses before you
file for divorce. If you don’t know what you’ll need after
the divorce, you don’t know how to ask for it.
5. Divorce is the beginning of a new chapter.
You may feel overwhelmed and like the world is crashing down, but remember,
this too shall pass and one day divorce will be something you did. Divorce
is your opportunity to grow, realize your dreams, and embrace all that
life has to offer; it’s the beginning of your next chapter.
Looking for a Los Angeles divorce lawyer? Contact our office for a free case evaluation!