No matter how amicable your divorce starts out, there are going to be some bumps in the divorce process. If you have children, you will need to establish a parenting plan as soon as possible. When your marriage has considerable assets, you will need to figure out how those assets are going to be disbursed. When one party has a large retirement investment and the other has nothing, you'll need to establish how this is going to be divided fairly in your divorce. Even if both parties in agreement that the divorce is necessary, it is important to protect your legal rights when it comes to your divorce agreement.
Setting up a Parenting Plan
You can establish a temporary parenting plan right away and file it with the court. This gives you, your children, and your former spouse a plan to follow in regards to the children and their care. While the plan may be created quickly, understand what you are entitled to before you sign any type of agreement. If both parents are equally capable of parenting, you can expect a 50/50 split of parenting time and responsibilities. Don't agree on a parenting plan you are not comfortable with, as they can be difficult to change in the future.
Know Your Assets
Your divorce agreement will determine how your assets are divided. If your ex is not being clear about your marital assets, it's time for some investigation. You are entitled to half of any retirement accounts that are funded during the length of your marriage. Your assets are going to be divided either by equitable distribution or by community property laws, depending on your state. In community property states, assets are split evenly. In an equitable distribution state, asset division has more options. There are times when the spouse with less earning power will receive more of the assets of the marriage.
Work Closely With an Attorney
It is not going to benefit you to try and work out a divorce agreement without legal representation. A divorce attorney knows what you can expect in a child visitation arrangement and will help you locate assets your ex may not be truthful about.
When you are in the middle of any divorce, a divorce attorney is going to be your best investment. Your custody arrangement and your future financial security will depend on how well you and your attorney advocate for your rights.
Share14 March 2019
Are you going through a divorce? Do you have kids? If so, do you know how to handle the many struggles you will face when it comes to your kids? Even if you and your spouse can get through the divorce while agreeing on the custody arrangements, there will be struggles that you may not have planned for. For example, who will handle the educational, medical or other decisions about the kids? Is it something that you will decide together, or will one parent make the decision and the other one agree? My site contains several tips that can help you plan for the struggles you will go through in the future and make the situation a little easier for your entire family.