Divorce is always tough, even if you saw it coming. But for some women, divorce can be especially difficult if the husband tended to take care of things like the finances. In order to ensure that you make it out of your divorce still standing, you're going to need to be more proactive about certain things than you might have been in the past. Here are three tips for women going through a divorce.
Get a Full Financial Accounting
First things first, head to the bank and get all of the information you can. If you had a joint account with your husband, make sure you understand where all of the latest deposits and withdrawals are coming from. Make sure you have all of the online passwords for your accounts, and, if you think your husband has money invested through another bank or broker, don't forget to give them a call as well. You may not have permission to withdraw any of this money yourself, but the more information you know about your financial situation before you head into court, the better off you will be.
Figure Out Your Own Living Expenses Without Any Help
If you were financially taken care of before the divorce, it's important that you don't expect an alimony payment after the divorce is over. You need to come up with a budget for yourself that lists all of your expenses and all of your income, without any help from your husband. With a solid budget planned out, you can go into court with confidence that no matter what happens, you will be OK.
Hire a Divorce Attorney, Not Just Any Attorney
Having to file for divorce is painful and you might want to get things taken care of as soon as possible. Still, you should take your time and make sure you find yourself a solid divorce attorney who is well versed in things like family law before you move forward. A random lawyer in the yellow pages might be cheaper, but you could end up with a lower settlement if your lawyer is not an expert at divorce proceedings.
If you're a woman who is about to go through a divorce, your first order of business should be to open the books and get a full financial accounting of your situation. Using this information, create a living budget for yourself going forward. A good attorney who specializes in divorce, like those at Gruber & Associates, PC, may also be able to help you with this process.
