Going through a divorce can be an overwhelming process, filled with emotions and frustrations. When you are the partner filing for a divorce, it is important that you understand the process, and best practices throughout the entire ordeal. Here are 10 tips when filing for divorce in Arizona – for more information or answers to questions, contact our lawyers at the Modern Law Firm today.
1. Know Your Financial Situation
When you are filing for divorce in Arizona, it is essential that you have an understanding of your family’s finances. This is not limited to the income and assets that you bring to the relationship; you should know your spouse’s financial information too, including information about retirement accounts, health insurance, and investments. You may want to consider hiring a financial professional to assist you in understanding your financial picture.
2. Create a Post-Divorce Budget
Your financial picture will not be the same after your divorce, even if you are the primary breadwinner for the family. It is important that you know what your finances will look like once you are separated from your spouse, and that you create a budget that reflects that. This is even more important if you are used to financial support from your spouse. Create this budget before filing for divorce in Arizona.
3. Be Fair and Reasonable
Divorce is difficult, and can bring out the worst in even the best of us. While doing so may be very challenging, prioritize being fair and reasonable throughout the process. This means compromising when it comes to tough issues in the divorce, and remembering that divorce can be challenging for all parties.
4. Consider Mediation or Collaborative Divorce
Divorces do not have to be contentious legal battles; there are many couples who turn to collaborative divorce or mediation to amicably resolve issues in a divorce. Through both of these divorce types, couples can work together to come to an agreement about issues in the divorce, rather than having issues decided for them by a judge in divorce court.
5. Prioritize Children
If you have children, put them first throughout the entire divorce process. This means thinking about their best interests when determining with whom they will live and how visitation will be worked out, but is not limited to custody issues alone. Remember that divorce can be very psychologically trying for children, so never argue with your spouse in front of your children, nor badmouth your spouse. Consider getting help from a child mental health professional to assist your child in coping.
6. Know the Laws for Alimony, Property Division, and Child Custody & Support
It is important that you understand Arizona’s laws for alimony, property division, child custody and support when filing for divorce. Knowing the laws – and your rights – can help you to build a more effective case and attain a divorce settlement that reflects your best interests.
7. Maintain Your Cool
Whatever you do during your divorce, remember to keep your cool. Outburst of anger or hurtful words can do more than damage the long-term relationship between you and your soon-to-be-former-spouse (a relationship which may be very important despite divorce, especially if you have children together), and hurt your chances of having a divorce settled in your favor. For example, if you demonstrate an inability to control your anger, the court may hesitate to give you primary custody of your child.
8. Keep a Low Profile
During the divorce process, you should keep a low profile. What this means is that your private life should remain private; do not post about your divorce or your activities on social media, which could negatively impact your divorce settlement. Further, it is not recommended that you start dating until your divorce is finalized – if you do date, keep the relationship casual and subtle until your divorce is finalized.
9. See a Therapist or Counselor
Even if you think you’re fine, you may benefit from seeing a therapist or counselor to help you work through the emotions of going through a divorce. A mental health professional can be very beneficial during a divorce, and can help you to move forward in your life and provide you with a healthy outlet for any feelings you are experiencing.
10. Hire an Experienced Arizona Divorce Attorney
Before you file for divorce, you should contact an experienced Arizona divorce attorney. An attorney will not only help you to understand options during divorce, but will also guide you through all divorce laws and best practices when filing. At the Modern Law Firm, our talented Arizona divorce lawyers are here to help you when you want to file for divorce, and will competently represent you throughout the entire process. Contact us today online or by phone to learn more.
