Steps to a Smoother Divorce
How a Pasadena Divorce Lawyer Can Help
For anyone who has gone through or is going through a
divorce, using the words "easy" and "divorce" in the same
sentence is a challenge. No matter how amicable the separation maybe,
the divorce process always includes a fair amount of obstacles, struggles
and complications. Many problems encountered during the actual process
could have been avoided by preeminent action on the part of the divorcees.
Are you considering filing for divorce? Here are some helpful tips on how
you and your partner can work now to ensure the future endeavor is as
smooth and painless as possible:
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Sever Joint Banking: Most married couples have at least one joint banking account that they
consider community property. Assuming that the decision for divorce is
mutual, you can avoid a lengthened court process by cancelling any joint
checking or credit cards now and dividing the positive and negative assets
between yourselves. If the divorce is
contested, you can still do this by revoking your spouse as an authorized holder
on the account and notifying your partner of the cancellation so that
they are not caught off guard in the wrong situation. Since California is a
community property state, meaning that any property shared by the couple is equally divided
in the event of a divorce, you would simply be doing what the court will
do later on anyway. This would include savings accounts, checking accounts,
brokerage accounts and even shared credit card debts.
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Diagnose Your Insurance Coverage: Since your private property is likely insured under the same coverage,
it is wise to meet with your agent in order to make sure that you and
your own things would be covered in the event of a divorce. If you are
the spouse that moves out of the family home, you could be facing the
loss of protection on the articles you thought belonged to you. Protecting
yourself from an unforeseen disaster is always a good idea.
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Death and Taxes: Another important issue to consider is the plans you have already established
for your estate concerning your property and even your health should something
happen to you. Being married, it is likely that you included your spouse
as a beneficiary to your will or trust and that you may have appointed
them power of attorney in your living will. Furthermore, you should consider
how much you want your spouse, soon to be ex-spouse, to receive from your
life insurance should something happen to you. Thinking about those issues
and making those changes now will save you a significant amount of effort
in the future. You should also revise your W-4 forms that likely state
that you are a dependent or have your spouse as a dependent in order to
make sure your taxes are deducted properly.
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Contracts and Legal Matters: Divorce will obviously involve the law, considering the fact that a marriage
is a contract. It would be beneficial to you both now and in the future
to meet with a divorce attorney and discuss your situation. He or she
will be able to advise you on other helpful measures you can take to a
smoother divorce and inform you more about what the process will look
like based on your circumstances.
These are just a few small steps that you can take now to help you and
your family in the future. Making your divorce as painless as possible
is what the
Law Office of Fritzie Galliani, APC is dedicated to. We want to be the ones to protect your interests and
rights throughout the process and help you achieve the happiness you are
looking for.