Divorce Information

The decision to divorce is one of the most difficult of your life. Here you will find Divorce Information and the steps you can take to make the process manageable.

Breaking the news to your Spouse

If you decide to retain an attorney, better engage him before you advise your spouse that you're filing for divorce.

Your attorney can advise that you have filed for dissolution of your marriage and wish the process to remain amicable. Your spouse may want to also seek legal representation.

This helps a calm and non-confrontational tone for the legal process. If you don't plan to hire an attorney, you should talk to your spouse calmly about your desire for a divorce and the reasons therefore. If you fear physical danger, maybe obtain a civil order of protection. see more >>

Breaking the news to your children

The only task probably more daunting than telling your spouse that you want a divorce is telling your children.

If possible, both parents should tell the children together, as a family, in a calm and loving manner. No matter what kind of acrimony exists between the parties, it is essential that the parents present a united and amicable front to the children.

No blame should be assigned to either parent and most important of all, the children must understand that the divorce is not their fault.

Many parents choose to enroll their children in grief counseling other prior to or immediately after advising them of the impending divorce. Having a support system outside the family, such as a therapist, counseling group, or close friend or family member can oftentimes make divorce much easier on children. see more >>

Temporary living arrangements

How to stay together for a while: To save money or to make a gradual transition possible for the children, parties may choose to continue to reside in the same house during the divorce.

It is essential that ground rules for continued cohabitation are laid down. For example, how will time with the children be handled and how will household expenses be divided?

To address these topics can best be done via a lawyer or mediator and any agreements reached be drawn up in a legally-binding contract and entered before the court. see more >>

Final Living Arrangements

Who gets to stay in the house? In the event parties will not continue to reside in the same household, it should be decided who stays in the home and who is to find other lodgings.

When children are involved, the general rule is that the children and their primary caretaker (usually, but not always, the mother) stay in the home while the other party moves out. see more >>

Gather Financial and other Divorce Information and make a budget

Most jurisdictions require both parties to file a financial affidavit, disclosing everything from their annual income to any expected inheritances.

In amicable situations, some spouses even fill out their financial affidavits together to make the process as smooth as possible. Always remember to make two copies of each document. Where both parties can agree on the amount of marital expenses owed per month, devising a monthly budget for each party is simple and extremely helpful.

Assess specific needs of the children that may not be covered in basic child support (e.g. particular medical needs or private school expenses). see more >>

Temporary Child Support

As soon as one party ceases to reside in the same home with the children, they are required under state law to pay child support to the residential parent (the party who continues to reside with the children).

The amount of child support owed is a set percentage of the non-custodial parent's net income (their income before taxes), though the court has the right to deviate from the standard percentages where it deems necessary.

In addition to child support, the custodial parent may also seek a contribution to daycare expenses, summer camps, school tuition, and extra-curricular activities. Because temporary child support orders are often simply incorporated into the final divorce decree, the temporary order should be sufficient in amount to sustain the children after the divorce is final. see more >>

Helping children coping with divorce

There are many does and don'ts when it comes to divorce. As parents we are responsible for helping our children to cope with the divorce. There are a couple of things parents need to be aware of and protect their children from. Hereafter find 10 things you don't want your children to be exposed to. see more >>

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