Preparation is essential when attempting to create a divorce proposal and agreement. Becoming knowledgeable and prepared to offer creative solutions for your divorce proposal and making informed decisions to better ensure the well-being of all family members is vital. When contemplating or experiencing divorce, emotions often feel as though they are on a moment to moment rollercoaster which makes divorce preparation even more difficult. Preparing for divorce for many is leaving everything in the hands of the professionals involved without being proactive on one’s behalf. The problem of this choice is that after the divorce is final, many feel dissatisfied with the final divorce decree and wish that they had become more knowledgeable before making their final decisions which now must be lived accordingly.

Preparing for the rest of your children’s lives through co-parenting, making financial decisions through the division of assets and liabilities while attempting to cope with the many changes occurring within the family structure may become overwhelming.

Many question what to expect through the divorce process and how to best prepare so listed below are tips on how you can better prepare and make more informed decisions.

1. Become aware of all the different areas in which you will need to make decisions concerning your children. The need for a parenting plan to set forth standards and expectations for their everyday life is needed. This plan will dictate custody arrangements, visitation and their general well-fare. When facing divorce it is hard to plan for tomorrow’s needs much less for the years ahead but you will need to plan for the present and future needs for yourself and children. The decisions made today will affect all of your family’s tomorrows so take the needed time to prepare wisely. If the need to return to court to address issues you didn’t consider arises, this will mean more emotional and financial expense that oftentimes neither spouse anticipates.
2. Finances are also an area that both spouses must become prepared. During marriage, it is not uncommon for one spouse to play more of an active role in the marital finances than the other. It is essential that both spouses become knowledgeable about their finances and create a budget which will encompass current expenditures as well as those post-divorce. It is wise to also note that sometimes the spouse who is desiring divorce may have become more mentally prepared for divorce before the other and may take financial advantage. Taking advantage may occur by spending marital money in advance of filing for divorce so that the money would not then be divided, it can also be hidden in the form of repayment of family loans which may or may not really exist and then returned after the divorce is final, and hiding money through investments, etc. Hiring a financial expert may be wise to help you unravel your financial puzzle as well as to assist you in creating a financial plan for your future.

3. Divorce ranks at the top of the social readjustment scale due to the stress involved. Prepare for your psychological and emotional stability by creating an emotional support team during and after divorce. Having a close friend, family member or counselor to aid in the emotional aspects of divorce can prove to be invaluable. Readjusting to life as a single takes many out of their comfort zone and it’s reassuring to know that forming an emotional support team is helpful throughout this life changing event.

Planning is essential for every important event and nothing is more important that your family’s future. Taking the needed time to become knowledgeable about divorce, what is required before you are faced with needing answers and how to move through the process with well-made informed decisions is important to all family members.

Divorce Tool Box online sessions can help in preparing for divorce on your time and schedule. Visit our website at www.divorcetoolbox.comtoday to see how we can help you.