While we may feel that this love will last forever, the day you get married may well be the day you begin down the road to divorce. Yes, that outlook is a grim one, but it isn’t out of place for any married couple in the United States. In this country, the divorce rate is now at close to fifty percent, meaning that one out of every two marriages will end in divorce.
But it doesn’t have to be an ugly, messy and drawn-out divorce. There are some couples who manage to simply take the laws they know exist regarding divorce and follow them through without any name calling or finger pointing. Of course, this is always easier to do if you don’t have children or even, these days, pets, to quarrel over custody rights.
But it helps if you know the laws and each law is different depending on the state where the couple resides. For instance, if a couple lives in Tennessee, they may want to read up on Divorce in Tennessee: Procedures, Laws and Helpful Information for filing for Divorce in Tennessee online. This knowledge would make it possible for them to work together to find the best solution for everyone when it comes to filing for divorce. There are a few other ways to proceed if you see a divorce in your future and want to find the best way to move forward.
Finding a Good Divorce Lawyer
If you are thinking of filing for a no-fault divorce, the first thing you will need to do is find out what the laws are in your state regarding no-fault divorces. You can look this up on the internet, or you can talk to a divorce lawyer who knows and understands the divorce laws in your area. If you aren’t sure who to talk to, why not discuss this with a friend who has gone through the same process? With a fifty percent divorce rate, there is a good chance that one of your friends, either at work, the gym or perhaps an old school friend, has gone through a divorce in the last few years.
They may have a good lawyer they can recommend to you. If you can’t find one through a personal recommendation, the local bar association will give you a list of divorce lawyers that have a good reputation with the organization. Even though this won’t tell you much about their ability to work with you, it gives you a start. You can then set up brief interviews with five lawyers to find one you think you can work with on your upcoming divorce. Be prepared, have questions, and be ready to move as soon as it is obvious who you think you can work with easily.
Do the Research
Lawyers, especially the better ones, cost money. Remember that time is money when you are dealing with your lawyer and do as much of the leg work regarding research and paperwork as you can. Go through all your own records and make copies of everything you think will be important. Heck, even if you aren’t sure make a copy of that old receipt as it may be important somewhere down the line.
Get separate bank accounts if you don’t already have them. Get a record of everything that is owned including any property that is in the sole name of the partner. All assets need to be accounted for, even that old second-hand car you bought for your kids to drive. Knowledge is power, so get your records together, pull any relevant information they may need and save money by doing as much of the leg work as possible so that you leave only the complicated legal work to your lawyer. That is, after all, what you are paying them to do.