Four Things You Must Have Before Divorcing

You may be eager to unbind yourself from the person you married, but you might not be ready yet. There are some elements you'll need to have before you can go through the divorce process successfully. These are four of those things:

A Valid Reason for Divorce

The first thing you need is an allowable reason for filing for divorce. All states have their own list of acceptable grounds. Some states don't have anything called "irreconcilable differences," and spouses need to prove that their counterparts abused them, committed adultery, or did a different heinous act against them. Check with your state's laws to see if your reason for divorcing matches what's allowable in the state. If so, you can move on to the next steps. If not, you may be stuck with your spouse for a while.

A Recovery Plan

You'll need a good recovery plan before you move forward with your divorce. An excellent recovery plan involves figuring out how you will manage the bills, children, and assets after your separation. You may also need to secure mental health services for yourself to ensure that you can ease into your new lifestyle and tackle any trauma that may still be prevalent. You can use a coach, family therapist, divorce counselor, spiritual advisor, etc. These individuals will support you while you adjust to living independently and no longer having a married status.

A Reliable Divorce Specialist

You may desire to proceed with your divorce without a divorce lawyer. However, it's wise for you to hire one to help you with your case. There may be unforeseen complications that can cause you to start all over again. Starting over again means paying again, so you'll want to make sure you have a professional do everything perfectly the first time. If any errors occur, the lawyer will be responsible and not you.

Also, your spouse may fight you over the divorce. That means you'll have to show up for court hearings and defend yourself. It's better to have an attorney with you who can paint you in the most favorable light.

Money for Services

Finally, you will need money to hire a divorce lawyer, as such legal services usually aren't free. You'll be required to pay for filing the divorce paperwork if you do it yourself anyway. You might as well use some of that money to pay for an attorney who can ensure that it's flawless.

Attorney's fees vary, and that's why some lawyers offer free consultations or case evaluations. They want to let you know how they can help you and where they stand with fees. They may charge a flat fee or hourly rate. Some of them offer payment installment arrangements. It's up to you to make an appointment and talk to someone about your case.

You'll be ready to start your dissolution process once you've obtained everything on the list. Speaking to a professional about helping you will ensure that your process goes smoothly, and you transition most favorably. That way, your healing and recovery can be long-lasting.