Going through a divorce is confusing and often stressful. Understanding the ins and outs of how to prepare for divorce in Ohio while dealing with the emotional toll is often too much to handle alone. That’s why the very first step in your divorce journey should be getting a knowledgeable Ohio divorce lawyer in your corner. Once you take that first step of securing a lawyer, you can more easily break down the divorce process into manageable pieces.
Ohio Divorce Preparation Checklist
This divorce checklist will help keep you organized, on-task, and ensure you don’t overlook any essential steps in the Ohio divorce process.
1. Build Your Support System: Aside from a specialized divorce attorney in Ohio, you should also find the people in your life who will be a shoulder to cry on, who will help with your children, and who will get you the help you need.
2. Obtain Personal Information: Gathering all of your information takes time. While your divorce lawyer in Ohio can help, it’s best to get a jump start by getting your personal, marital, divorce, children, financial and spousal information together.
3. Identify Assets/Liabilities: The next information you will need to present to your lawyer is a thorough list of all your assets and liabilities. All assets/liabilities will be divided during the divorce, so it’s best to get everything laid out. Some things to include:
- Houses and Land
- Vehicles
- Bank Accounts
- Investment Accounts
- Retirement Accounts
- Credit Cards
- Taxes
- Household Items
- Personal Items
- Pets
4. Pull All Legal Documents and Update as Needed: This is something your lawyer can assist with. Still, you’ll need to pull together all wills, powers of attorney, advance healthcare directives, tax returns, insurance policies, and businesses.
5. Comb Through Your Finances: Not only will you need all financial documents easily accessible throughout your divorce, but you’ll also want to spend some time creating new accounts so you can more easily separate your finances from your ex-spouse. Now is also a good time to update any personal passwords to protect your privacy.
6. Make Plans for Your Children: If you have kids, meet with a local Ohio family law attorney to help you discuss where the kids will live, what a custody arrangement could look like, and talk through child support.
7. Find a Place to Live: While in some cases, both spouses remain in their shared home until the divorce is finalized, others find it too dangerous or painful. If you are uncomfortable living with your spouse any longer, you might want to find an alternate solution.
One of the most important things to remember as you prepare for a divorce is to take care of yourself. Divorce is highly personal and can be confusing and scary. Having a certified family law specialist in your corner supporting you every step of the way will help save you a lot of stress and help you work towards a more positive future with your kids in your new life.
Columbus Ohio Divorce and Child Custody Lawyer
The Law Offices of Kenneth R. Kline LLC is honored to work with both traditional and non-traditional families to assist them through the extraordinarily difficult process of navigating a divorce in Ohio. Please contact us with any questions or for a risk free consultation.