Getting a divorce is something you might not have ever envisioned. When you made the decision to spend the rest of your life with your spouse, you were probably caught off guard upon finding out that they want a divorce. The emotional implications of such a serious decision can be overwhelming, especially in the early stages. This leads to more fighting and a lot of wasted cash as you hash out your differences in family court. Planning for the future is difficult, but there are ways to save money and protect yourself financially throughout the process.
Hire a Divorce Attorney
The first thing that you need to do is find a divorce attorney, and you'll want to talk to a few in order to make sure that you find the right combination of quality and pricing. Some lawyers charge as much as $1,000 per hour, while others charge as little as $100 per hour. You'll want to find one that you can afford, but you also want to be confident that you're getting sound legal advice.
Shorten the Discovery Period
Instead of paying fees to have your lawyer round up legal documents, simply ask them for a list of the documents you'll need and take care of this part yourself. It's not necessary to pay additional attorneys fees for work that you can do on your own time. You can save a significant amount of money in your divorce if you gather the documents yourself.
Try to put together a game plan with your attorney so that you can find out what he or she needs and where you can get it for them.
Keep Accurate Financial Records
Before you go through the divorce process, you'll need to clearly document your financial standing. This is going to include what you make and what assets you own, and you'll also need tax returns for the last three years and recent pay stubs. This will all help to paint a financial picture that will make it clear what you are entitled to and what your significant other is entitled to as you separate. It's obviously not a pleasant process, but it is important that you follow the advice of your attorney and try to handle the situation logically and rationally so that you suffer as little financial penalty as possible.
Hire a Divorce Attorney
The first thing that you need to do is find a divorce attorney, and you'll want to talk to a few in order to make sure that you find the right combination of quality and pricing. Some lawyers charge as much as $1,000 per hour, while others charge as little as $100 per hour. You'll want to find one that you can afford, but you also want to be confident that you're getting sound legal advice.
Shorten the Discovery Period
Instead of paying fees to have your lawyer round up legal documents, simply ask them for a list of the documents you'll need and take care of this part yourself. It's not necessary to pay additional attorneys fees for work that you can do on your own time. You can save a significant amount of money in your divorce if you gather the documents yourself.
Try to put together a game plan with your attorney so that you can find out what he or she needs and where you can get it for them.
Keep Accurate Financial Records
Before you go through the divorce process, you'll need to clearly document your financial standing. This is going to include what you make and what assets you own, and you'll also need tax returns for the last three years and recent pay stubs. This will all help to paint a financial picture that will make it clear what you are entitled to and what your significant other is entitled to as you separate. It's obviously not a pleasant process, but it is important that you follow the advice of your attorney and try to handle the situation logically and rationally so that you suffer as little financial penalty as possible.
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