What are the first 3 things to think about if you are considering divorce.
If you have come to the sad conclusion that your marriage has come to an end, there are probably lots of questions whizzing around in your mind, e.g. “What happens when…..?”
I recommend the starting point is to gather your thoughts on 3 important topics:
1. Your Marriage – are you married and if so do you want the marriage to end?
2. The Finances – what arrangements do you want to make regarding the family finances when you separate?
3. Your Children – if you have children, what parenting plan do you want to put in place?
Your Marriage
If you are unmarried then clearly divorce is not necessary. However, even if you are married, you may not wish to rush into getting divorced.
It is important to bear in mind that divorce is not the only way a couple can decide to arrange their separation. You could, for example, choose to live apart and resolve financial and children matters whilst remaining legally married. There is also the option of ‘Judicial Separation‘ If/when you choose to dissolve the marriage then a divorce application will be made through the court.
The Finances
When you decide to separate and/or divorce, an agreement will need to be reached to resolve financial matters between you and your spouse(whether or not you divorce).
There are various options available to help resolve financial matters and you can choose which approach is most appropriate for the two of you. For more details about the various options, see my blog How Do I Approach Reaching a Financial Agreement in My Divorce. There are also different ways to formalise any financial agreement reached, depending on how the relationship is brought to an end e.g. separation or divorce.
Your Children
There are two main issues to be addressed in relation to the children of the family:
i. Living arrangements.
You will need to decide the parenting arrangements and how the children’s time will be shared between the two parents.
ii. Financial support.
An agreement will need to be reached between you and your spouse as to how you will both financially support the children once you are living apart.
For a list of the issues the parents will need to decide on, see my blog Separating Parents: Planning Arrangements for the Children.
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First Steps if Considering Separation
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Why I became a divorce consultant.
