How to
Get a Divorce
Listen to yourself...
If your gut feeling tells you that something isn't right in
your marriage, listen more closely. We are given hints to leave bad relationships long before we
finally act on them. Most women refuse to accept the truth that
their husband is being abusive to them or is
cheating on them.
People no longer think of a person whose marriage
ends in divorce as being a failure. Divorce is just a part of
life. In fact, it has been estimated that about half of all
marriages in the United States end in divorce.
The divorce process boils down to controlling what
you can and normally, you can control everything
about your divorce except how your spouse will
react.
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Steps:
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1.
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Make every effort toward keeping your relations amicable. The angrier your spouse is, the uglier your divorce will be.
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2.
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Consult an attorney - most will meet for an initial consultation just to explain the process and your immediate options - or research the divorce process in your area. Divorce laws differ among states, and each county may have its own rules.
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3.
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Take a trip to your local family law courthouse or the family law department within the local courthouse.
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4.
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Gather your financial documents, including tax returns for the last five years, all retirement accounts and all financial accounts.
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5.
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Close or freeze joint accounts. You and your spouse may want to divide equally all funds accumulated during your marriage.
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6.
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Keep track of all debts incurred or paid (credit cards, repairs to the family home and so forth) once you separate from your spouse.
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7.
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Determine whether alimony or child support is warranted. If you are the spouse in need of support, make sure to initiate court proceedings as soon as possible, because you won't receive support until you file. Consult an attorney or other resource.
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8.
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Keep track of any money you give your spouse as alimony or child support, and write checks rather than giving cash.
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9.
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Realize that most states have a waiting period between the time when you file for divorce and the time when your divorce is final.
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10.
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Research your spouse's pension plans, retirement accounts and other savings accounts. You may not be aware of all the plans to which your spouse contributes or to which an employer contributes on behalf of your spouse.
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11.
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If children
are involved, you will have to negotiate a custody plan. Most courts offer free assistance.
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Tips:
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1.
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It's best to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law, even if you plan to represent yourself throughout the process.
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2.
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Don't use your lawyer or the system to retaliate against
your spouse; it will just cost you more money in the long run.
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Warnings:
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1.
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Expect the divorce process to be long and potentially
costly. |
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2.
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Remove your emotions from the legal process by seeking
therapy to deal with them. |
Other Divorce
Information
When
you are filing for a divorce, you will probably have a lot
of questions. Click on the following link for answers to
some of the most frequently asked
questions about divorce.
To find out
more about your legal rights or get answers to your questions, you
can call Legal Aid of Northwest Texas at:
1-800-967-6708
or click on
one of the following links:
Legal Aid of Northwest Texas or
Texas Rio Grand Legal Aid to go to their websites where you
can look up all kinds of legal information and even obtain forms
that can be used by anyone to file for divorce in any county in
Texas. |
Other
Miscellaneous
Information
Click on One of the
Links Below to:
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Other Legal
Information
Click on One of the
Links Below to:
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