Divorce is brutal on all involved parties, even if both spouses want it. There is a tremendous amount of upheaval and uncertainty, and just about everyone goes through a period where they feel overwhelmed. That said, there are a few things you should do once you decide divorce is where you want to go or if it’s inevitable. First and foremost, you should hire the best divorce lawyer in San Antonio, Texas you can afford. and after that, follow this advice.
Secure The Finances
Start by taking inventory of everything financial. Gather financial records, copy them, and put them in a secure place. Leave them with a family member or trusted friend and leave copies with the best family divorce attorney in San Antonio, Texas. Do not keep the copies in your own home or personal computer. If the divorce is acrimonious, you may want to consider taking out a safe deposit box and keeping the records in there. Records to copy are bank account info, mortgage statements, credit card statements, wills, trusts, etc. Document as much of your finances as you can.
Start Separating Funds
Start securing funds as much as you can without causing a scene with your spouse. These will be used to pay your attorney and to live on once you or your spouse file for divorce. Be wary of your spouse trying to choke off your money supply, and if they’re unaware of your intentions, delay filing anything until you have put aside enough to live on for six months and to pay the best divorce attorney in San Antonio, Texas. Doing it that way might delay what you feel is necessary, but it also will ensure you have funds when you need them.
Open Your Own Accounts
Use a different bank than any bank you currently use, including any joint accounts. Open up a savings and checking account and a post office box and have all personal mail sent to that box. You can also use both accounts to help you with finding a good divorce attorney in San Antonio, Texas. Once you have found that person, your attorney might tell you to withdraw up to half the funds in your joint account, so you need to have a place to put those funds. Open a new credit card in your name as soon as you can so you can start building credit.
Review And Monitor Credit Report And Financial Statements
In any asset sharing arrangement, if one party or the other decides to be irresponsible, both parties suffer the consequences. In a divorce where there are joint accounts, one party or the other can drain assets without the other knowing unless they’re on top of their credit report, credit card statements and banking statements. Monitoring your credit report is also key because you can keep track of your credit score, which can have an immense effect on your life after your divorce.
Be Stealthy
From the point you decide you want a divorce, even if both parties are aware and agree to it, you need to treat all your actions as a “covert” process. Sometimes, amicable divorces can turn ugly at the drop of a hat, in which case, being public about your actions can incite the other party. Even finding a good divorce lawyer in San Antonio, Texas needs to be done secretly as much as possible.