Aug 31, 2016
If you’ve reached the point of knowing there’s no hope of mending a broken marriage, then now is the time to begin planning for a divorce, and for a life separate from your spouse. Read on for several tips on what to do before filing for divorce to make the process run more smoothly.
When a relationship is unhealthy, spouses sometimes make purchases or open lines of credit without telling their partner. In order to prepare to address these issues during your divorce, it can help to find out about them as early as possible. Additionally, it may help to sign up for credit monitoring, so that you find out quickly if your spouse opens lines of credit or makes substantial purchases using joint funds after your divorce has begun.
People going through a divorce are often shocked to discover that their bank accounts have been frozen, either by an angry spouse or an order of the court. Ensure that you always have access to the funds you need to establish a separate home and cover the costs of a divorce by creating your own checking account, to which your soon-to-be-ex does not have access.
If you’ve been using joint credit cards for the length of your marriage, or using accounts listed under your spouse’s name, you may need to begin to re-establish a credit history after the split. Opening a new credit card can help you establish that credit, and also serve as a backup method of paying your bills if money gets tight during your divorce.
If you and your spouse both accessed your bank or financial account information online, and you use the same password to access most or all of your personal online accounts, consider changing them to something your spouse could not guess.
You’ll need to be prepared for a divorce filing by making a full financial disclosure to enable the court to divide your assets. Begin to gather documents such as tax returns, account statements, title to property you’ve purchased, and other information. If you believe that certain property is separate (i.e., belongs only to you after you inherited it during your marriage, or because you bought it outright before the marriage), start to consider what evidence you can use to prove that fact in court.
If you’re considering filing for divorce in Kentucky, speak with an experienced attorney who will ensure you receive the best possible result by calling the Florence family law attorneys at Greta Hoffman & Associates, at 859-535-0264.
