You can prepare after divorce checklist with the help of an expert. A skilled lawyer will explain your rights, duties and other legal jargon in order to make informed decisions about your future and what steps to take after divorce. Try to choose an expert who is good-hearted so that he can support you emotionally and legally throughout the whole process.
Read this complete guide to develop a list of everything you want to discuss with your lawyer ahead of time — this will save you a lot of time and money.
What Is a Post Divorce Checklist?
A post divorce checklist is a list of points and important information to keep in mind while going through a divorce. This keeps things organized and you will avoid missing anything vital.
Post Divorce Checklist: Points To Include in It
Divorce is, without a question, one of the most destructive and emotional occurrences in one’s life. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed because the procedure might be difficult and long.
Getting and keeping organized is a terrific strategy to keep yourself grounded while also enhancing your chances of a fair conclusion. To get and remain on track, use this simple divorce checklist. Make a checklist of things to do after divorce using the parts below. Each stage includes clear instructions that you may refer to at any time.
Furthermore, if you are using your expert attorney just to take revenge on your ex-partner, you will lose. It’s possible that you’ll receive the home, the property, etc, but you could lose your dignity and affect your children.
Instead, you succeed when you let your lawyer help you legally end the relationship and then move on. Apart from that, every encounter with a lawyer is expensive, so you’ll save a lot of time and money if you keep your emotions in check and make a list of everything you want to address with your lawyer ahead of time.
Thus, here is the checklist (discussed in detail in the later part of the guide) of things to do after divorce is final:
- Get a certified Divorce decree
- Get all the financial details
- Get the titles and deeds
- Name change after divorce
- Get the required personal information
- Separate your property which is personal
- Organize and collect all your legal documents
- Child care and information
- Find a safe place
– Get a Certified Divorce Decree
Obtain a certified copy of your divorce decree first. This will be required to accomplish some of the stages in the divorce process. Examine your Marital Settlement Agreement thoroughly, and create an executive summary as well as an implementation checklist.
The important provisions of your agreement should be listed in the executive summary. The goal is to condense a lengthy legal document into a one-page summary of the most significant points. It’s a good idea to mark your calendar for any significant dates or deadlines right now.
The implementation checklist should include a list of all the tasks that must be accomplished when the project is concluded. Every action item should specify clearly who is responsible for what and by when. Make any time-sensitive or critical concerns a top priority.
– Get the Titles and Deeds
Consider who owns the title (registered owner) to each asset and if this corresponds to how the item was divided in your divorce order. If not, you’ll have to get to work. Transfer titles of vehicles, yachts and other property and get it documented at the county recorder’s office or the DMV. It’s possible that you’ll need to modify the deed to your home as well.
Furthermore, if your divorce order requires a quitclaim deed or the transfer of a car title, you should get these documents completed as soon as possible. It is bad to leave some things open-ended, even if you depart on good terms. Ex-spouses have been known to act strangely and irrationally months following a divorce. Change the title or deed while the court ruling is still fresh in everyone’s mind.
You will need to modify the names on the title or deed if you divided property in such a manner that you are now the single owner of something (vehicle, home, etc.). Otherwise, you’ll need your ex-spouse’s permission to sell the property.
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Quitclaim Deed
A quitclaim deed is a document that transfers the legal ownership of a property. This form can be drafted by your divorce attorney for you and your spouse to sign. Keep in mind that a quitclaim document only transfers ownership of the property, not the mortgage. It is not common practice to remove names from a mortgage; to remove your spouse’s name from a mortgage, most lenders ask you to re-qualify or refinance.
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Vehicle Titles
Because the title is usually linked to the loan, car titles are a little more difficult. For further information, see the DMV Title page. Check with your auto loan provider to see what they require. After you’ve changed the vehicle title and registration, you’ll need to modify your auto insurance.
– Name Change After Divorce — Documents To Change After Divorce
To change your name after a divorce, the following steps should be followed:
- On your divorce documents, write “request to restore maiden name” or “request for name change.”
- Look at your divorce decree to check whether your name was changed.
- Amend your name at the Social Security Administration (SSA), bank, children’s schools, employment, DMV, and other places using your divorce decree (or divorce document).
The method varies by state, but in most jurisdictions, seeking a formal order from a divorce court judge to change your name after divorce is rather direct. It serves as an official document if your divorce is finalized and contains a court ruling enabling you to change your name.
Simply acquire a certified copy of the judicial order as proof of the name restoration. You may then use this copy of the court order to have your name changed on your identification cards, bank accounts, subscriptions and anywhere else that requires a new name.
– Get All the Financial Details
The next step is to get all the finance-related details and documents. These include details like bank accounts, cash in hand, credit reports (credit forms), Inheritance documents, Mortgage debt and home details, non-mortgage debts, any personal loan or home loan details, and retirement account details. Get all these details to be on the safer side and clear about all the finances post-divorce.
– Organize Your Legal Documents
Get the following important legal documents (if you have made any of the following):
- Advance health care directives policy
- Will
- Powers of attorney
- Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance
- Auto insurance
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability insurance
- Long-term care insurance
- Umbrella insurance
- Identity theft insurance
- W-2s from the last three years
- OR 1099s from the previous three years
- Receipts
- Tax records
- Payroll records
- Registrations, licenses or trademarks
– Get Personal Information
Choosing who gets what during a divorce is an important part of the process. It might seem important to seize personal possessions, but don’t do it. Be honest and trustworthy while claiming the property, because it will be good for your present and future wellbeing.
The first step is to make a list of everything you possess, whether you own it alone or with your help of your spouse. Make a list of everything and its worth, collect any applicable papers, and finish with a photo to prove what you possess.
– Child Care and Information
Remember that by being a parent, you have to be the emotional support of your children. You’ve landed on their turf. It is your responsibility to care, protect and understand your children. It doesn’t matter what age they are in or how mature they are, they’ll have to deal with the consequences of their parents’ divorce.
Children, particularly young children, view themselves as half mother and half father. So, even if your ex-husband is a bad person, make the decision not to criticize them in front of your children. Children absorb a kind of poison when they hear those harmful remarks. They might feel that half of them are evil people when they hear this, so don’t add to the anguish of their parting by saying hurtful things.
Children suffer as a result of divorce. Relationship strife, protracted legal fights, defaming your partner, using your children as bargaining chips, and keeping secrets from them all result in long-term suffering.
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What To Do
First of all, don’t try to mold your children against your spouse. Your kids aren’t spies, listening in on what your spouse says, or some tool to help you “win” the divorce. Don’t make them play such parts or involve them in your divorce.
Also, discover others who can assist you in supporting them, such as their friends, a beloved coach, or a school counselor. Even though you tell your children that they can talk to you, they may want to talk to someone who is not involved in the matter.
– Find a Safe Place
Some spouses live together until their divorce is finalized. However, in most cases, someone will need to relocate. Start considering your choices if living with your partner is too difficult.
And if you or your children feel endangered at home, leave right away!
In many respects, moving out is a difficult experience. It intensifies the emotional impact of the separation. Furthermore, It could impact you financially, especially if you start renting another house while still paying for your marital home. As a result, selecting the appropriate housing is critical.
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What To Do
You might feel alone, terrified and overwhelmed during the divorce process. There will be severe darkness and closed curtains on some days. On the other hand, keep track of your children’s medical expenses, such as insurance claims, copays, and so on. If co-parenting is a challenge, keep track of how the visits with the other parent goes and any specific issues that arise.
Make sure you have your former spouse’s and children’s Social Security numbers. It’s possible that you’ll need them for your tax returns. It’s also possible that you’ll need your ex-spouse to sign a paper stating their consent to claim the children as exemptions.
Update your children’s schools with your and your former spouse’s contact information, emergency contacts, school pick-ups/drop-offs, and so forth.
Conclusion
Even if your divorce is official, adjusting to your new life may take some time. You’ll probably want further information about what to do when your divorce is official, and you may need to change alimony, child support or custody after reading this guide. Your best bet is to consult with an expert divorce lawyer who can guide you through the process.
- Getting and keeping organized is a terrific strategy to keep yourself grounded while also enhancing your chances of a fair conclusion. To get and remain on track, use this simple divorce checklist.
- Make sure to get a certified copy of your divorce decree first. This will be required to accomplish some of the stages in the divorce process and examine your Marital Settlement Agreement thoroughly. Secondly, create an executive summary as well as an implementation checklist. The important provisions of your agreement should be listed in the executive summary.
- You will need to modify the names on the title or deed if you divided property in such a manner that you are now the single owner of something (vehicle, home, etc.). Otherwise, you’ll need your ex-spouse’s permission to sell the property.
- The method of changing name varies by state, but in most jurisdictions, seeking a formal order from a divorce court judge to change your name after divorce is rather direct. It serves as an official document if your divorce is finalized and contains a court ruling enabling you to change your name.
- Children suffer as a result of divorce. Relationship strife, protracted legal fights, defaming your partner, using your children as bargaining chips, and keeping secrets from them all result in long-term suffering.
We hope after reading this article, you can make your own post-divorce checklist with all the necessary details and documents required during the process, and do consider speaking to an expert attorney for more information.
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