Before You File for Divorce, Prepare Yourself in These Ways

10 October 2016
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Your relationship with your spouse may have deteriorated to the point where you are seriously thinking about ending your marriage altogether. In order to ensure that you don't make any rash decisions that could cause trouble for you in a divorce settlement, it's smart to take the following actions before you sit down with an attorney to file divorce papers.

Visit a Mental Health Professional or Pastor

While you may not feel that your emotional state is a problem, just your marriage, it is a valuable use of your time to consult a mental health professional before you go through with a divorce. A therapist, counselor, psychologist, or social worker can help you figure out whether it is truly the end of your marriage you seek, or whether there are still things you might try to save your union. If you practice a particular religion, a pastor or head figure could also be of some help.

If, after some visits, you remain certain that a divorce is what you need to be healthy, your spiritual leader or mental health professional should be able to guide you through the days ahead. They can provide support and a friendly ear when you need one.

Make Note of Your Time and Money Regarding Your Children

As a parent, you might not list the things that you and your children do on a daily basis. You might be aware that you bought them clothing or took them to their school activities, but, because you do it so often, it might not occur to you that anyone would ask for specific details. However, when you are in the midst of a divorce and want a custody agreement that benefits you and your kids, you're going to need to be more diligent about jotting down your child-related activities and expenses. For instance, if you're always the one who takes your children to their dentist and doctor appointments, keep note of those times. If you do buy them all of their outfits for school, keep the receipts. This will support any claims you make about whether you are the best primary caregiver for the kids because you may already be doing the lion's share of the work regarding them.

After you have had some time to complete the actions here, speak to an experienced lawyer about how to move forward with a divorce. Ask them for more information that might help you.