We have all been fed up with something before in our lives. Sometimes there are things that we just cannot bare to continue doing in our current situation. But what happens when you find yourself in that situation with your spouse and you decide you want to get a divorce. As divorce attorneys, we get questions all the time about how to best prepare when divorce is on the horizon with or without your spouse knowing what you are doing. It is important when you are preparing for divorce that you keep some important things in mind so that when you do decide to file you are in the best position possible moving forward.

1. The first and most important item when you are preparing for a divorce is to contact a Rhode Island Divorce Attorney to represent you. While some people may tell you that it is not necessary, we find that once the stress of the event begins to stack up, you may find that an extra source of advice can be hugely helpful. At the very least you should be interviewing potential candidates so that when the time is right you are ready to start. We recommend that when you are preparing for divorce in Rhode Island that you make a list of questions to ask potential candidates including how long they have been in practice and how many successful divorces they have been through and what their clients think of them. Do not be afraid to ask for client references to get a clear picture of the attorneys process throughout that person’s divorce.
2. The next step in this situation is to prepare a clear vision your finances. It is important when you go through the divorce process you strive for an equitable distribution of assets so that you can make the process move smoothly. By knowing what you own and what you owe, you will be in a better position moving forward when preparing for divorce. In divorce situations, it is critical that you understand what will be expected of you financially and how much you may or may not be losing when you get your divorce. If in the case of preparing for divorce you find that you will not be able to support yourself it is important that you discuss alimony or support with your attorney.
3. After you have a clear picture of what you have in assets you need to prepare a budget to show how much money you will need to maintain your household. When you are preparing for divorce and making a post-divorce budget, you will want to take into account all of your bills as well as any other expenses. By having this information you and your divorce lawyer will be able to make a plan moving forward. Having a good amount of information in this situation will help you to make a case for whether or not you will need any amount of support or alimony depending on your situation.
4. As you move forward preparing for divorce it is important that you evaluate and if possible dissolve all joint accounts. The more joint accounts you have, the more demanding of time, you will have when you are moving forward preparing your divorce. In these situations, it can be difficult to do this if you are keeping your intentions from your spouse. When you are preparing for divorce, and you are keeping it from your spouse, you should make sure that you have a very clear picture up to when you tell them so that if they attempt to hide money, etc. you will be able to prove it was there before. If you are not able to dissolve all joint accounts, it is important that you ensure that these accounts are maintained post-divorce, i.e., Credit cards, car payments, mortgages, etc.
5. The final step of preparing for divorce is making a plan for your future. At this point, you should make sure that you know where you are going to move or if you are going to stay. If Domestic Violence is a reason for you filing for divorce, it is important that you contact an attorney to see what your best options are for your situation. It is also important that you make sure that your children all well taken care of whether you will be living with them or not. Also make sure that you have a solid financial plan that if possible stretches out for a few months to a few years to make sure that you can quickly and efficiently move forward once the divorce is finalized.

In the state of Rhode Island divorce is not something you should enter into without a plan. Fortunately, with the assistance of a Rhode Island Divorce Attorney when preparing for divorce, you will be in a much better position. If you or a loved one is preparing for divorce, the Law Office of John E. MacDonald and his divorce attorney Elisha Morris are ready to assist you with your case if you would like to contact us we are available at anytime at (401) 421-4038 for a free consultation.