After your divorce is finalized you should still give yourself a significant amount of time to fully adjust to your new life. Each person’s divorce story and the process is different but the steps listed below are important for anyone who just finalized a divorce to follow.
No couple expects to get a divorce when they make their marriage vows, but it happens every day. Divorce is full of emotional upheaval, uncertainty, and pain – but what happens after the decision to divorce has been made?
Now that the hard part is over, making the decision, it is time to protect yourself legally, to regroup and get your life back in order.
6 Issues That Will Need Your Attention During And Afer Divorce:
1. Change your will:
Death is probably the last thing you want to think about after dealing with a divorce, but you need to immediately address your will and life insurance policy if your spouse currently holds the position of being the beneficiary. Otherwise, the spouse you just took great care to expunge from your life will end up keeping things you now want to give to other people, such as your children or relatives.
2. Close joint accounts:
It can be difficult to readjust to owning your own private bank account and debit and/or credit cards, but it simply does not make sense to continue using one account after a divorce. For the safety of your financial future, it is absolutely necessary to close all accounts in both of your names and open one in your name alone. Otherwise, a spiteful or financially unstable ex could damage your credit score.
3. Be sure to inform your employer:
Your employer must change your income tax filing according to your new marital status. To avoid tax fraud and ensure your paychecks are not being unduly deducted, report your divorce and make sure they change your tax forms. You will also need to be in touch with a professional tax company if you need help filing an individual tax return after a divorce.
4. Put assets in your name:
If your divorce settlement resulted in you being the sole owner of a vehicle, for example, you must go the Department of Motor Vehicles in your area to change the title to only your name. You should also visit an asset attorney to ensure all of the proper forms and documents have been written up and signed, giving you sole ownership of trusts, estates, and other valuable assets.
5. Make sure child support/custody arrangements are agreeable:
If a change in your life situation calls for an increase or decrease in child support payment amounts or affects the time spent with your children, contact a lawyer who can help you make a new agreement and file it correctly with the court.
If a visitation or payment agreement was previously acceptable but you now find it impossible or undesirable, you should act quickly to avoid further detriment. A legal professional that handles family and divorce law cases can help explain your case to the judge and will increase your chances of getting your wish. If you feel your visitation rights weren’t fairly represented, you can enter custody mediation and renegotiate your parenting plan. If the court finds your argument to be sound or deems you have effectively improved your station and deserve a second evaluation for custody, you can potentially change your arrangement.
6. Keep your lawyer close:
Your divorce papers may be signed and finalized, but that does not mean your legal battles are over. Whether you need help getting your spouse to make child support payments or simply need advice on how to protect your newly regained assets, a divorce professional can give you the peace of mind you deserve after a long, difficult divorce case.
After your divorce is finalized you should still give yourself a significant amount of time to fully adjust to your new life. Each person’s divorce story and the process is different but the steps listed above are important for anyone who just finalized a divorce to follow.
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