Divorce can be one of the most stressful experiences you'll ever go through in your adult life, but a lot of that stress is based on paperwork and fear of the unknown. Fortunately, divorce doesn't have to be such a traumatic experience. There are steps that you can take right here and now to alleviate the stress of divorce.
One of the most difficult aspects of a divorce is disentangling your finances. For many clients, especially the extremely busy ones, this is the hardest part. Even still, some of the most educated spouses worry about child custody, spousal maintenance, and asset division – they don't know what they don't know and it scares them.
If you're on the brink of divorce, we can help make things easier on you, and one of the first things you can do is become educated on New York's laws regarding:
- Child custody
- Child support
- Spousal support & maintenance
- Property and debt division
- Uninsured medical expenses for children
- College expenses
- Tax consequences
- Business assets
- Investments
- Retirement accounts
If you've never been divorced before, you probably don't have a full understanding about your rights and responsibilities in regards to the above list. Our advice is to speak with a divorce attorney sooner than later. If you have not told your spouse that you want a divorce, we advise speaking with a lawyer before you drop the divorce bomb.
Before your first consultation with an attorney, it helps significantly if you can come to your appointment fully prepared with your financial documents. What this does is paint a clear financial picture of your situation. This way, your attorney should be able to tell you what to reasonably expect and what can be an issue.
Documents to bring to your first consultation:
- Last two years of taxes
- Mortgage papers
- Auto loan documents
- Credit card statements
- Recent pay stubs
- Investment statements
- Life insurance policies
- Estate planning documents
- Any other financial records that apply
The old saying, "Knowledge is power" is 100 percent true, especially as it pertains to the divorce process. By becoming educated on the laws and being fully prepared, you are putting yourself in the best position for success.
Related: "Achieving a Cost-Effective Divorce"
To meet with a Long Island divorce lawyer, contact our firm today!