Divorce is a complicated process. It involves many emotions and decisions including how to divide property, child custody and alimony. The last thing you want to do is end your marriage without knowing how it will affect your children. Despite the fact that the majority of divorces are not caused by the fault of either party, it is important to understand how divorce will affect your family and prepare accordingly.
Depending on your spouse, the reaction to the announcement of your desire for a divorce will vary. They may be angry, blame you or attempt to change your mind about the decision. It is important to remain calm and respectful throughout the discussion.
It is also important to be honest about your reasons for a divorce. This will help them to accept the situation and prevent them from taking things personally. It is a difficult conversation to have because it means admitting that the relationship was never healthy for you or your spouse.
In most states, it is required that both parents provide financial support for their children. The amount of support is usually determined by state law and based on the incomes of both parents as well as other factors such as childcare expenses, health insurance costs not covered by the employer, extracurricular activities and more. It is important to be prepared for this discussion by gathering financial documents that will be used to determine a fair amount of support.
Most couples have assets and debts that must be divided in a divorce. It is a good idea to enter the divorce process transparently by being open and sharing all financial information with your partner. This will allow you to work together and create a plan to settle the matter fairly. You should both gather and organize documents such as your last three years of tax returns, bank statements, investment account information, credit card statements and debt worksheets. It is a good idea to keep all of these organized in one folder that you can refer to at any time.
After you have established a plan of action for the divorce proceedings, you should start to think about your future goals. It is important to establish new personal and professional goals for yourself as you move forward. It is also important to let go of any resentment that you have towards your former partner. This will make the transition to a new chapter in your life much smoother for you and your children.
Divorce is a hard and emotional time for most families. However, there are many positive aspects of a divorce that can come out of the negative situations. Children can learn how to be more independent, you and your spouse can grow closer, you can save money on living expenses and you may even find out that you are a better person after going through the divorce process. The best thing is to take it one day at a time and remember that everything happens for a reason.
