Preparing for Financial, Emotional Adjustments After Divorce

Before starting your divorce negotiations, you should ask yourself what comes next for you after your divorce. Though you may not have specific answers, you do know that your life and your needs will be different than when you were married. Your divorce agreement should help you meet your financial and emotional needs, whether it is through the division of property, spousal maintenance, or the allocation of parental responsibilities.

Financial Needs

You will have a heavier financial burden after your divorce because you will be individually responsible for your expenses. Your individual income may be unable to afford your married lifestyle. You can adapt by budgeting your money and cutting back on your living expenses, but you should also try to maximize your individual income and assets. There are several ways that you can prepare yourself for this in your divorce agreement:

• Some marital properties have more practical benefits or the potential to increase in value;
• Other marital properties are more valuable to you if you sell them;
• You should consider whether the expense of owning and maintaining your marital house is worth keeping it;
• You will likely receive monthly spousal maintenance payments if your former spouse has a higher income than you; and
• A divorce court can award spousal maintenance as a way to support you while you attend school, with the goal of obtaining a degree that will qualify you for better-paying jobs.

Emotional Needs

You may feel lost and without an identity, once you are no longer married. Happiness after divorce requires finding new friends and interests that do not rely on your marriage. Financial stability from your divorce agreement gives you the freedom to pursue these interests. Being a parent is the most important identity for some divorcees. Your parenting time gives you emotional fulfillment and a feeling of importance. However, your relationship with your children is not a replacement for your marriage. You still need to have meaningful relationships with people your own age, which may include going on dates. Your parenting schedule should give you time off in which you can be social and focus on your own needs.

Contact a Batavia Divorce Attorney

Your divorce agreement will set up your financial resources and parental responsibilities for the next stage of your life. It is understandable if you do not yet know exactly what you need from your divorce. A Kane County divorce attorney at Van Larson Law, P.C., knows how to create a beneficial divorce agreement. To schedule a consultation, call 630-879-9090.

Source:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/life-after-divorce-12-ways-rebuild-your-life/