The decision to divorce is the start of long journey. When you are going through this process, there are many things that you need to think about. Because there are so many, it is possible that you might miss some points. Making a list of things that you need to work out before you head to your attorney’s office can help you ensure that you find out everything you need to know.
You can divide divorce matters into a few basic categories. Thinking about each one of these individually can help you to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Child custody and support
These two go hand-in-hand because the parent who has the children least might be responsible for paying the custodial parent. There are exceptions to this, such as when the custodial parent makes more money than the noncustodial one. The court considers what is best for the children in these cases. The order will likely also include who needs to carry health insurance, what happens with life insurance and how college expenses are handled.
Property division
The property division process involves dividing the assets and the debts of the marriage. Things that are considered separate property and ones that are in a prenuptial agreement won’t go through the property division process. Family-owned businesses and retirement accounts are also included in this part of the divorce.
Spousal support
Spousal support isn’t applicable to all cases. This is typically reserved for lengthy marriages that have a big income discrepancy. If you think that you might be eligible, you need to file the petition with your divorce.
Initiating a divorce or responding to a petition to end the marriage requires you to think carefully. You need to ensure that you are doing what is in your best interests.