Planning for Divorce in Alabama
If you’ve reached the point of knowing that your marriage is beyond repair, it’s time to begin taking steps to plan for divorce. There are a number of things you can do to make a divorce smoother and ensure you’re financially protected. Read on for several ways that you can prepare for divorce, and speak with an attorney as soon as possible to learn about additional ways you can ensure your divorce goes smoothly.
Start gathering financial documents
After you file for divorce, sometimes documents you’ll need might go missing if your spouse feels that he or she has something to hide, or is attempting to thwart your efforts to file.
Begin gathering documents such as account statements, loan documents, titles to property, and tax returns which your attorney will need to prepare your divorce case.
Obtain a credit report
Your spouse may have racked up charges or opened lines of credit without your knowledge. Checking your credit score before you file will offer you a heads-up about these charges. You may want to consider paying for credit monitoring services, as well, to ensure that your credit isn’t damaged by spiteful spending on joint accounts or by your soon-to-be ex opening new lines of credit after the divorce has begun.
Begin a divorce fund
Divorce can be an expensive process, involving attorneys’ fees, court costs, and the cost of setting up a new home. Begin setting aside money now to ensure you can afford the process without undue strain.
Set up a checking account to which only you have access
If you share a joint account with your spouse, you may want to open a separate account at a new bank. Some people, when they learn of their spouse’s intent to divorce, may drain a checking account or bar their spouse from accessing money or credit. Ensuring that you’ll have access to your own money is critical. If your spouse has largely been the named account holder on shared accounts during your marriage, you may want to consider opening a new credit card before a divorce has the chance to damage your credit score, as a way to both build credit and ensure you have a backup means to cover your expenses during divorce.
