Filing for divorce starts a legal process with deadlines, disclosure and, often, hearings. A little preparation before you file can save months of stress and a great deal of cost.
1. Gather your financial documents
Collect bank statements, pay slips, tax returns, pension statements and mortgage papers. Full and early disclosure is required, and it strengthens your position.
2. Think about the children first
Write down the current routine and what you believe is best for your children. Courts focus on stability and on the children’s welfare, not on who is to blame.
3. Protect your credit and joint accounts
Keep a record of joint debts and consider whether joint accounts need to be frozen or separated.
4. Consider mediation
Mediation is usually faster, cheaper and less stressful than a contested hearing, and agreements reached this way tend to last.
5. Take advice early
A short consultation before you file will show you your options and the likely outcomes, so that every decision you make is an informed one.