When it seems separating is imminent, it’s easy to resign to life without marriage and assume nothing more can be done. However, this can be one of the worst decisions to make both for your marriage and legally speaking. Ending a marriage is a much bigger decision than ending a dating relationship as it has many legal ramifications that could be felt down the line for each of the parting spouses.

This is particularly important if you have children, pets or major financial investments together. Rather than rushing into the idea that the marriage is over, there are considerations to make before you and your spouse even decide to live in separate homes, let alone formally file for a divorce.

Couples Counseling

Even if all hope for reconciliation seems to be lost, couples counseling can do a lot of good for the two spouses. This can help the two discover what went wrong in the marriage, leading to more successful marriages for both down the line. Additionally, this can help both people cope with what has happened and move forward in a more productive manner. Even better, this can help rebuild the bridge to help the divorce proceedings along in a less hostile manner. Even if your spouse is not willing to go to the sessions, it could help an individual on their own.

Find an Attorney

No list for divorce would be complete without consulting an attorney. In many cases, it can be a good idea to speak with an attorney before you even let your spouse know you have decided on divorce. An attorney can give you the right information to share with your spouse about how the divorce would go and can help you gather the right information you will need for your case before your spouse can limit access. Most importantly, an attorney can let you know what actions could lead to legal issues down the line before it’s too late to undo the damage.

Safeguard Assets

During separation, each spouse should take possession of certain assets, particularly items they will each be using such as specific furniture or vehicles. A Lis Pendens can be filed in the Deeds Office of the county you and/or your spouse own property. This puts third parties on notice of your claim to have an interest in the real estate. Simply put, a lis pendens is a notice of pending litigation that could affect real property and is an extra step of self-protection prior to divorce.

If you are considering divorce, contact our team at Malamut & Associates today. We understand how to protect our clients at every step during a divorce proceeding.