After being married a while, you may find yourself at the end of the honeymoon phase and at a point where you’re facing numerous obstacles and irreconcilable differences.
No marriage is perfect, but you may feel overwhelmed and unhappy if you and your spouse constantly struggle with finances, have problems with in-laws that cause strain, disagree about household responsibilities, or have parental troubles with any children.
Divorce is often complicated, taking a toll on your emotional, mental, and even physical well-being. The process may involve intense legal and financial matters that can be frustrating and awkward to work through.
Still, there are ways to keep the process as manageable as possible. Listed below are ways to keep your case organized and easy to manage while filing for divorce.
Hire Organized Legal Experts to Handle Your Case
When marital issues push your union to the point of no return and counseling or mediation isn’t helpful, you may want to find a lawyer and initiate divorce as quickly as possible. You’ll want to get the best of the best to represent you in such a family law matter.
For Alabama residents, this means identifying and hiring the highest-rated, most reputable divorce attorney Birmingham, Alabama, has to offer. A great attorney is an expert in differentiating individual property from marital property and negotiating property division, spousal support, and alimony.
If you and your future ex have any children, getting a lawyer who is well versed in family law and experienced in arranging child custody, visitation rights, and child support will be crucial.
Ultimately, having an experienced, organized divorce attorney on your side can be essential, as these professionals will know how to fight for a fair division of property and assets on your behalf.
Determine What Information is Relevant to Your Divorce Proceedings
Any legal and financial paperwork regarding business matters and property shared in your marriage will probably be crucial to your divorce. Some divorces may require more documentation than others, depending on the circumstances.
Still, typical documents you’ll need for the case include lists of personal property like home furniture, office equipment and computers, jewelry, clothes, artwork, and more. Additionally, it’ll be a good idea to provide your lawyers with copies of any living wills, wills and testaments, and powers of attorney.
Furthermore, income tax returns, proof of your and your spouse’s incomes, any prenuptial agreement, property tax statements, mortgages, and documents about property, car, health, and life insurance are critical to share with your lawyer, too.
Suppose you and your estranged spouse maintained some independence regarding your finances, bank accounts, credit cards, and property during the marriage. In that case, separating your assets may not be too complicated.
However, keeping accurate, organized documentation can help your lawyers disentangle such holdings if you have numerous joint accounts and policies.
Keep All the Documents You Need in One Place
Depending on your assets and how much you and your spouse may need to divide, you may end up bringing volumes of paperwork to your meetings and divorce proceedings at your lawyer’s advice.
Putting these important documents in folders and binders can make carrying them with you to proceedings easier. Consider designating each subject to its own folder.
Using durable custom pocket folders created by a company that produces excellent presentation and marketing materials, you can avoid mixing documents regarding your children’s needs with files about your income or bank accounts.
Keeping a folder for your schedule and a list of any relevant dates and times is also a great way to stay organized amid the changes to your marital and familial dynamic, the divorce proceedings, and the sadness, anger, or frustration that comes with a break-up.
Use these tips to keep yourself organized during your divorce and find the peace of mind you deserve.
