What to Ask Yourself Before Filing for Divorce

There are a lot of ideas on the best course of action to take first when pursuing a divorce. However, there are important questions to ask yourself before doing anything to prepare for a divorce. While there can be a lot of positives to divorce, especially when it is ending an unhappy marriage, there are some considerations that may change your mind on divorce in general and will help set the course in what will work best for you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse.

Making Ends Meet

While it may seem to be sound logic that a divorce would free up your salary to include only your own expenses and therefore create more income, this nearly never is the case. Instead, divorce itself becomes an expense. Previously, your spouse and you would have policies that put two cars on one insurance payment, one cell phone bill, one set of utilities, and so forth. By splitting things up, the expenses double but the income stays the same.

Credit cards are also a big issue when approaching the topic of divorce. If you have credit cards that are in both names that were being used to make ends meet each month, you may have a big problem. On the other hand, if they were used for singular purchases you didn’t have money on hand to buy, or were using them only to build credit, there will be much less of an issue. Bigger problems in who is responsible for the accrued interest and which purchases are something else to prepare for leading into a divorce.

Cost of a New Life

Looking at the above information, it is important to figure out what your new life will cost you and if your current job is stable. If you have only been in your current position for six months, a lot can change and you may no longer be able to afford the same quality of life. Even further, the changes in payments could add up beyond your expectations. For instance, auto insurance policies are much cheaper with multiple family members on one policy, unless the other family member happens to have a bad enough driving record to drive up the premium.

It is also important to consider alimony and child support when figuring out if you can afford a new life. If you will be paying both to your spouse, is the paycheck you’re left with enough to cover your bills? Don’t get caught off guard. Contact us today to find out how having the right legal representation can help protect your ability to support yourself after a divorce.