Are you planning on getting divorced? Do you find yourself already embroiled in a divorce since you were just served papers? Whatever side of the coin you are on, the initiator or the recipient of divorce papers, it is important that you take steps to protect yourself throughout the process.
Keep reading for five tips on how to best protect yourself when going through a divorce.
- Do Not Move Out if You Have Children
- Cancel Joint Credit Cards
- Catalog All Marital Property and Assets
- Move Records to a Location Outside of the House
- Hire a Divorce Attorney Early in the Process
If you share children with your spouse you should not move out of the house. Once you move out of the marital home and leave the children behind, you put your request for custody in jeopardy. It can be tense living with a spouse, but you can consider a “time-sharing” agreement that sees you and your spouse alternating time at the home until the divorce case—and custody battle—is resolved.
If you have joint credit cards with your spouse you should also cancel them right away. If you plan to do this, it is also important that you do not inform your spouse first. It takes only a couple minutes to make thousands of dollars of purchases that you could be on the hook for since it is a joint account.
It is also important to catalog any marital property and assets. It is easy for things to go “missing” during a divorce process, which is why you need documentation of valuables in the home. Take some time to create a journal detailing all of the valuables in the home and back that up with pictures of the items as well. You should also start to compile a list of all the marital assets, including any properties, real estate, bank accounts, and retirement accounts.
Divorces can quickly become contentious, which is why you should move your personal papers and records to somewhere that your spouse does not have access to. This includes pension papers, diplomas, birth certificates, passport, titles to your car, etc.
If you are going through a divorce it is important to hire an attorney as early in the process as you can. Things can move quickly and an experienced family law attorney can help make sure that you are making the right decisions and putting yourself in a good position to receive a fair settlement. From helping draft a settlement agreement to fighting for a child custody agreement that works for you, the experienced attorneys at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP can help. Give us a call today at 909-482-1422 for a consultation.
To learn more about the family law services that we offer, visit us on the web at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP.
