Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Preparing Yourself - Divorce Tips For Women

By Allison Thompson

If you prepare before the divorce proceedings actually start you will find that it helps to reduce the stress that you feel. By planning a head you are more likely to make much more informed and sound decisions than if you were to rush into the matter. In order to help you avoid some of the pitfalls associated with this process we provide some divorce tips for women relating to those matters you need to think about in order to be well prepared.

Tip 1 - Before actually starting your divorce proceedings make sure that you get any paperwork that is important together first. So you need to gather together everything relating to all the assets and debts you and your partner may have both as a couple or as individuals. You need to get information relating to all bank accounts, credit cards, investments and of course do not forget the mortgage. Also if you are able gather together your tax statements for the past 3 years along with any employment and pay information you have.

Tip 2 - When preparing to start divorce proceedings know exactly what your financial situation is as this will help you determine exactly how much the marital state is worth. When we talk about the marital estate we are talking about those things which have been accumulated by you and your partner during the time of your marriage. The best way to actually determine how much the marital estate is worth is by taking away all debts which are outstanding from any assets (investments, savings, equity in home etc) you may have.

Tip 3 - As soon as you have made the decision to commence divorce proceedings you should then seek legal advice as soon as possible. Often it is very beneficial to you if you consult a lawyer during the very early stages of preparing for a divorce. If you can discuss the matter with a lawyer who has qualified in family law and can provide you with the options that are available to you.

Tip 4 - It is extremely vital that when you are preparing to file for divorce that you ensure that all your finances are in order especially your tax return. The last thing you want to be faced with just as the divorce is about to be finalized is problems concerning your tax returns as a married couple. If you are in any way worried that your partner has not filed tax returns correctly, then why not arrange to file your own as a married person but with the note that you have chosen to file yours separately from your partners.

Tip 5 - Another essential thing that you need to get sorted out before you even start any kind of divorce proceedings relates to life, health and medical insurance cover. In most cases married couples will often take out such policies as a couple rather than as individuals simply because it saves them money. So as soon as you know that you are going to be starting divorce proceedings you should make sure that you have all your own insurance cover in place not just for those mentioned above but also for your home as well as for any vehicle that you have.

By being well prepared before filing for your divorce you will find that you are better able to cope with any situations that may arise. Also it is vital that you take into consideration all aspects of your divorce especially if there are children involved. Although you may be under some considerable stress yourself just imagine what your children are going through as well. By having everything prepared hopefully your and your partner can carry out the divorce in the most amicable way possible.

If you keep the above divorce tips for women in mind when either considering or filing for divorce then it will help to make the whole process a little easier to cope with. So take your time and do not rush into anything before you have really thought through your options.

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