Being notified of a divorce can come as a shock. Even when the news is expected, it’s still a lot to deal with emotionally. Nonetheless, it is important to keep your emotions in check and protect yourself.
Here are some practical steps you can take after receiving the notification.
Take time to process the situation
For the most part, impulsive decisions are not helpful. It’s important to take some time to process the situation before responding. Once you have gained clarity, you can review the paperwork you have been served with. One thing that should be noted is any dates and deadlines included in the documents.
Start to organize
Being organized has numerous benefits. Firstly, it can help to relieve a lot of stress. It will also make your divorce much more efficient in terms of time and financial cost. Some key items that you’ll want to have are your financial statements, property deeds, retirement accounts, tax returns and any other documentation related to finances and assets.
Think about the future
While divorce signals the end of a romantic relationship, it is also a new start. If you have children, then you’ll want to think about how the parenting relationship will look in the future. What sort of custody arrangement do you think would suit the children best? What is your post-divorce budget going to look like? Do you need to find a new place to stay?
Being organized and having a support network in place can help you through the divorce. It’s also important to seek the most accurate legal information.