Deciding to divorce is a life choice that often requires months of careful consideration. Although you may have decided to get married in an instant, you will think very carefully about whether divorce is the right choice.
Even when you feel quite strongly that your spouse has done something unforgivable or that the two of you have a very unhealthy dynamic with one another, you may delay taking the step of actually filing for divorce for lots of reasons. For example, you may not want the holiday season to be miserable.
If you decide to file for a divorce early in the new year, you would not be alone. People call January divorce month, as the number of people reaching out to divorce lawyers and filing the initial paperwork surges in the first month of the new year. How can you prepare now if you in time to wait a bit longer before filing for divorce?
Make copies of the paperwork you need
Having your own digital or physical copies of tax returns, mortgages and other financial records will be very important for you when reviewing your situation with an attorney or presenting your case in court.
Create an inventory of assets
Creating your own records with written documentation and photographs of valuable marital property can help you better value your marital estate and spot signs of either wasteful dissipation of your marital assets or your spouse attempting to hide property from you and the courts.
Reach out for professional help
Since so many people will initially express interest in divorce in January, you may have to wait some time for an appointment with the lawyer of your choice. If you have an initial consultation before the holidays, even if you wait to make any formal commitment until after the new year, there will be fewer delays in the process.
Beyond a lawyer, you may also want to consider speaking to a counselor or therapist regarding your decision. Rather than attempting couples therapy with your spouse, which could provoke a bad holiday situation, individual therapy can help you become more confident in your decisions and prepare you for the stresses of the divorce process.
Thinking about the steps that you take in the next few weeks will potentially set you up for success in your upcoming divorce.