People from all walks of life rely on checklists for all sorts of things. Checklists can be work-related, for personal use, or to make sure you have got all your ducks in a row for that long-awaited family vacation. Sometimes, we create a checklist just for the fun of staying on task. And yet, many people do not think about using a divorce checklist. Do you have yours?
Having a divorce checklist can be extremely valuable, considering how important it is to be prepared for anything the process throws at you and your family. Not to mention, few things in life are more stressful than a divorce.
So, one of the best places to start and begin to feel like you are on top of things is to put together a divorce checklist.
A divorce checklist ensures …
- All tasks get done
- You do not forget anything
- You meet all important deadlines
- That you avoid distractions
- You are not taking on unnecessary stress
- That you remain disciplined
- You do not make any mistakes …
With all of that being said, you only know what you know. Being heads-up about everything related to a divorce is next to impossible when you have never been divorced before. What are you supposed to keep track of? What questions should you be asking? What should you include on the checklist?
Every divorce is different, but you will need to have these important items ready to be checked off on your checklist:
- Find a lawyer and ask the right questions — We wrote a blog post about asking the right questions and finding a lawyer who checks all of your boxes. This seems like a pretty obvious thing to do when you are about to go through a divorce, but since you are creating a divorce checklist, go ahead and start here.
- Round up all personal information — This includes you and your spouse. This is basic information such as name, date of birth, address, phone numbers, proof of residency, employer info, salary information, current custody arrangements (if any), previous marriages, children information, health insurance, marital problems that led to the divorce, etc.
- Lifestyle and real estate information — By this, we mean details on expenses for school, medical bills, kids’ activities, monthly budgets, detailed property lists, deeds, appraisals on real property, mortgage information, rental property, etc.
- Financial documents — Having all of your financial information in order is important. This includes tax and income documents, insurance policies, business documents, financial statements or profit and loss, bank statements, retirement savings, benefits, etc. Not all of this may be applicable to your situation. But it gives you an idea.
- Personal property information — Cars, boats, jewelry, collectibles, etc. This piece of your divorce checklist is essentially an inventory list with estimated values for everything in your house.
- Debts — Any secured and unsecured loans, credit cards, lines of credit, taxes owed, student debts, etc., should be pulled together as early as possible in the divorce process. You will also want to gain access to your credit report.
- Estate planning documents — This includes wills trusts, powers of attorney, advanced healthcare directives, etc.
Call Nelson Law Group today!!
If you feel that divorce is the answer, you need a trusted advisor to guide you through each stage of your divorce, keep you prepared, and help you deal with the stress that naturally comes with getting divorced. The Nelson Law Group brings nearly two decades of experience in family law to each and every case.
