4 Steps to Preparing for a Divorce

Divorce is never an easy thing for a family to go through, even under the most amiable of circumstances. When a couple has been married and shaped a life together, they usually have become accustomed to approaching life in a joint manner-bank accounts, bills, real estate and even cell phone plans. So when a divorce happens, both parties have to figure out what is going to be done on their end of things now that they are no longer going to be one half of a legally married couple.

If divorce is something that you, your spouse or both of you have been giving serious thought about and decided to move forward with, there are things that you both can do to lessen the individual blow and complications that arise from splitting up.

1). Establish separate accounts.

Married couples share accounts all of the time, usually because it’s just simpler to have both names on these things when you’re married. But when the end of the marriage is on the horizon, you obviously can’t expect that this will remain the case. Not only will creating your own separate accounts make it easier once the split is official, it will also protect your privacy and assets from a spouse that could take advantage of having access to an account that you both use.

2). Set up living arrangements.

What to do with the marital home (Who will continue to live there? Will you just sell it?) tends to be one of the biggest, most emotional issues that family lawyers see. The home that you have shared with your spouse has created memories and become an important epicenter of activity and life for the both of you. But clearly, both of you can’t logically stay in this house together after a divorce.

If the two parties involved cannot come to an agreement together about whom, if either of them will keep the house, then the courts will. Whoever doesn’t remain in the house will have to find another place to live, and it is best to get looking before the situation ever goes to court.

3). Gather financial documentation.

Asset division and other financial concerns are at the top of the list for most people when it comes to concerns about their divorce. Under the letter of the law, both parties will have to provide accurate detailing of their financial affairs as a part of the divorce proceedings. It is best to keep a detailed record of your financial information that remains private from the other party in the divorce.

Examples of such matters to document include, but are certainly not limited to:

Tax returns
Bank account statements
Mortgage statements
Business records if you and/or your spouse own a business
Credit card bills
Credit reports
Contents of safety deposit boxes
Insurance policies

4). Get support.

No matter what the circumstances surrounding the divorce are, it is a tough time for anybody to go through. The strain of having to handle all of these legal matters on top of the emotional devastation that often follows the announcement of a divorce can be a lot to handle, and there’s nothing at all wrong with reaching out for help. Family, friends, counselors, support groups and your lawyer can all help you to navigate different areas of your divorce proceedings by providing you support and aid through the emotional and legal stuff.

Contact with the following Family Law firms in Ottawa to get support through this difficult period.

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[column size=”1/3″]AGB Lawyers

Divorce Lawyers Ottawa[/column]

[column size=”1/3″]Address: 1 Antares Dr #530
Ottawa, Ontario K2E 8C4

Phone: (613) 232-8832[/column]

[column size=”1/3″]View Map[/column]

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[column size=”1/3″]Francis Lawyers

Ottawa Divorce Lawyers[/column]

[column size=”1/3″]Address: 1390 Clyde Ave Suite 200
Nepean, ON K2G 3H9