Everyone dreams of enjoying their happily ever after when they get married; however, sometimes life doesn’t work out that way. If you and your spouse are unhappy and have not been able to reconcile any issues in your relationship, you might have made the difficult decision to divorce. Going through a divorce can be a highly stressful and emotionally wrought time, but there are certain considerations to keep in mind to ensure that you come out of the process in a positive position to start your new life. Here are four steps to take if you and your spouse have decided to divorce.
- Move out of your family home
Once you have made the decision to get divorced, one of you should move out of the family home. Doing this puts a distance between you both, helping to prevent further fruitless arguments and acting as a clear signifier that you are no longer a couple. You might be looking for temporary rented accommodation before buying your own property once your personal finances have been resolved following the divorce settlement. However, even if you are unable to rent a property, it is still important that you put some space between you and your spouse, so see if you can move in with friends or relatives for a period of time.
- Find a divorce solicitor
Divorce is a complicated process involving joint finances and assets to distribute, and even more so if you have children, child support, and access rights to organise. Furthermore, it is a time of great emotional upheaval during which you may not be thinking straight and may get embroiled in further destructive conflicts with your ex. Find divorce solicitors in your local area to help you navigate this difficult process. For instance, Grant Stephens Family Law has divorce solicitors in central Cardiff who can guide you through the complex divorce procedures.
- Organise visitation rights
If you have children, one of the most painful parts of divorce is not seeing them every day. Therefore, it is important that one of the first things you organise with your ex is visitation rights for your children. It is important that you are consistent and reliable regarding your visitation. This will enable you to keep up your important bond with your children and ensure that they remain feeling loved and nurtured by both parents, despite your differences.
- Organise child support
Children are expensive to bring up, and although you may no longer be part of the family unit, you should still ensure that you provide regular and sufficient financial support for your children. If you and your ex are working out child maintenance yourselves, you can calculate the amount of child maintenance you are obliged to pay depending on income and the number of children. However, a solicitor will be able to help you further with difficult financial decision-making during your divorce. You might find having a non-biased third party can help you see this important stage in a different light, making it much easier for both of you.