Divorce is never easy and is something that no one thinks they will go through, although many do. For a huge variety of reasons marriages come to an end and it is a difficult time for the couple, their family and their friends.
If your marriage is coming to an end there are some things that you can do to make the difficult time easier. Putting in some preparation will help you to get through the legal and emotional battles.
Give yourselves some time
After deciding to split, you don’t have to go through the legal process straightaway. When emotions are raw and your life has been turned upside down you may want to wait a few months until things are more settled. You can use this time to get some counselling, work out your living arrangements and get to grips with your own finances.
Attend couples counselling
Couples counselling isn’t just for couples looking to patch things up. It can also be for couples who wish to open up the lines of communication so they can successfully and positively go their separate ways. For couples with children learning how to communicate to each other after splitting will make family life easier for everyone, especially the children.
Seek legal advice
Appoint a good family law solicitor early on and seek proper legal advice. There are many rumours surrounding the divorce process, made worse by traditional and social media. No two divorces are the same, so even speaking to friends who have been through it can be negative. Appointing a solicitor does not mean that you have to go through court, but you do have someone there to help you.
Know your finances
Get to grips with your finances before you start the divorce process. Ensure you know how much you and your partner have, separately and between you. If your partner’s finances are very unclear, employ a forensic accountant. Many people don’t even know how much their partner earns, let alone their shares, pension, or how much their strange hobby equipment is really worth.
Make future plans
Give yourself something to work towards to stop you getting sucked into a dark divorce vortex. Whether you like it or not, life will continue after the divorce and you will recover. You may not feel like ticking things off your bucket list or joining the local yoga class at the moment, but give yourself a future to work towards to make the divorce process easier.