A Few of the First Steps You Should Take
At the beginning of a marriage, most people never expect to find themselves filing for divorce. It isn’t a pleasant prospect for most people – and it’s usually not a decision that’s reached easily. Once you’ve decided that divorce is the best path forward though, you’re probably wondering – how do I get started with the divorce process? What are the first steps I should take? It’s an important question. While the process will be slightly different for everyone depending upon the circumstances, planning ahead, gathering important information, and finding a good attorney will be the keys to starting this process off on the right foot and ensuring the best possible outcome for everyone involved. Let’s take a closer look at these steps together.
The first important step in any divorce process is planning ahead. All too often, people rush into the divorce process too quickly. Often, this will be the case when some type of marital misconduct is involved and emotions are running high. In reality, it’s better to proceed carefully and thoughtfully. While this will look different for everyone, a few things to consider include:
- Seeking counseling to be sure you’ve made the best decision and one that you won’t regret later.
- Thinking through how you’ll tell your children ahead of time instead of springing it on them suddenly to protect their emotional well-being.
- Taking a close look at your financial situation – are you financially prepared to handle the cost of divorce, and all that moving from one home to two will entail? Do you have enough money set aside to support yourself during the divorce process if your spouse tries to cut off access to your funds?
These are only a few examples of many ways in which you might want to take a step back and truly consider what divorce might mean.
Next, if you’ve thought it through and decided that divorce is indeed the best step, you’ll want to gather any necessary and helpful information that you might need during the process. This information might include, among other things: birth certificates, life insurance policies, health insurance policies, pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, credit card statements, information about retirement and pension accounts, property deeds, title to your vehicles, and more. Sometimes, this information has a way of disappearing during the divorce process if one spouse is particularly angry with another. Gathering it ahead of time can spare a great deal of headache and stress in the long run.
Finally, as you begin the divorce process, it will be essential to retain the services of a knowledgeable and experienced attorney. You’ll want someone on your side who knows and understands divorce law in North Carolina, and who can pursue the best legal strategies on your behalf. At The Law Office of Dustin McCrary, we’re proud to provide exactly that kind of representation, and we would be honored to have the opportunity to help you too. We hope the resources provided on our site are helpful, and we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you in person. Contact us at any time.