...

Divorce on your list short list of New Year’s Resolutions? Read this blog post to prepare

As we approach the midpoint of 2019, we all know that summer will be over
before we know it. Next come the holiday season and then New Year’s.
Many Americans plan ahead for what resolutions they would like to make
and take into the following year with them. If you are one of the people
that takes your resolutions seriously then a little preparation could
go a long way towards actually following through with your goals. Very
few people are ever successful in doing anything when they wake up one
morning and think to themselves: “Maybe I should go ahead and go
back to school and finish my degree. Ill head down to the college right
this second to start that.”

Finishing your college degree is a great goal and a great New Year’s
Resolution but like any goal it is difficult to achieve if you do not
plan on how to attack that goal. Thinking of a goal and the planning out
a clear path that can lead to that goal being accomplished is really what
separates the dreamers from the achievers.

If you have been considering a divorce for some time and have just been
stuck in the mud as far as getting that idea off the ground then now is
a great time to begin to prepare for making it a New Year’s Resolution
that is worth following through with. In today’s blog post from the
Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC we will discuss this topic in greater detail in order to hopefully provide
you with a better understanding of how a simple resolution can impact
your life for years to come.

January is a busy month for family law attorneys

January happens to be a busy month for family law attorneys whose practice
centers around divorce cases. This probably has something to do with folks
like yourself that make resolutions, absolutely. If you’ve put the
divorce off for months or even years there is no time like the present
to rip the band-aid off and actually start on your divorce journey. The
new year offers new possibilities and the feeling of a clean slate to
operate off of. This is one reason why family law attorneys end up busier
in January than almost any other month.

The other reason, from my experience, is based on something that I mentioned
earlier in this blog post. January is the month that immediately follows
November and December. If you don’t believe me on that go ahead
and take out your calendar and look it over. You’ll see that at
the conclusion of every year is November and December. The following year
starts with January. Now that I’m a totally credible attorney let’s move on.

If you’ve ever been upset, frustrated or angry with someone I can
think of no more inhospitable time to spend with him or her than the holidays.
I don’t mean that it isn’t good to spend time with people
you are upset with. Quite the contrary- if you can spend quality time
with that person in order to sort through issues in your relationship
that is an ideal situation to be in. However, the holidays usually involve
you, your spouse and your children visiting with relatives and friends
for much of the time. There are certainly stressors involved with these
interactions even in the best of times. Throw in an angry spouse, no opportunities
for one on one time and these stressors and you will find yourself in
a combustible situation.

The end result is that divorces are often times filed as soon as the craziness
of the holidays subsides in January. It is not a bad idea to seek counseling
or marriage therapy in January but for some people that is not an option.
If you decide to make a New Year’s Resolution to finally file for
divorce from your spouse, let’s examine what you may encounter as
you attempt to undertake the process at the start of the new year.

Know what you’re signing up for when you file for a divorce

Divorce is not for the faint of heart or for the impatient. The fact is
that divorces in Texas must last for at least sixty days from the date
your divorce petition is filed. Most last longer due to the necessity
to either settle all disputes with your spouse in mediation or to take
your case to trial to have a judge decide on an outcome. Either way, you
should be prepared for some degree of negotiation between yourself and
your spouse.

If you have children, then the need for thorough planning is even greater.
You should spend some time this summer and into the Holidays thinking
about what sort of
visitation structure you want for yourself and your spouse with your children. If
you are going to the be parent who lives with your children on a primary
basis then what sort of visitation would you like your spouse to have
with your children? What are your work schedules like? If you are thinking
of proposing a schedule that is atypical then your spouse and your schedules
better allow for that.

As far as property is concerned, you can spend the next few months preparing an
inventory ahead of time. Once you file for divorce your attorney will ask you to
document all the items in your home that will need to be divided between
you and your spouse. You can get a jump start on this and also begin to
appraise the items, especially those that you believe are valuable.

In the same vein as inventorying and appraising items, you can begin to
collect documents that show the value of real estate, investments and
retirement accounts. These documents will also be necessary for your divorce
to proceed and eventually to conclude. If you can get a decent idea about
what you and your spouse’s personal finances look like then you
can begin to prepare settlement offers. Nothing firm needs to be thought
up yet, but having a good idea of what your finances look like now will
better prepare for you for your divorce in a few months.

Prepare for life after your divorce

Do you expect that you will be the spouse who is asked to leave your home?
If so then you can begin to look for a place to live temporarily that
is close by. This is especially important if you have children. What about
your savings? Will you have enough to make a graceful exit from your home
to find a new place to stay or will money hold you back? I should note
that if you have any intention of becoming the primary conservator for
your children or of remaining in your home after your divorce concludes
you really should consider staying in your home as long as you are able to.

Are you currently a stay at home parent or stay at home spouse? If you
will be returning to the workforce there is no better time than now to
update your resume and begin to network in the area of the workforce that
you anticipate joining. You may not have time to go back and take any
classes to finish a degree or earn a certification but you can learn more
about your desired area of the workforce through videos and articles posted
online. Why not join professional associations or begin to network in
your spare time as well? These steps can’t hurt and may help you
transition into the workforce that much easier once your divorce is complete

Questions about divorce or family law in general? Contact the Law Office
of Bryan Fagan

The attorneys with the
Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC have the experience, tenacity and knowledge of the law that you need to
be successful in your family law case. We pride ourselves on providing
incomparable levels of service and professionalism to our clients. To
learn more about your case and our office please do not hesitate to
contact us today. We offer free of charge consultations six days a week with one
of our licensed family law attorneys. You can discuss your case, ask questions
and have any of your concerns addressed directly with us in a comfortable
and pressure free environment.

Categories: Uncategorized

Share this article

Category

Categories

Contact Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC Today!

At the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, the firm wants to get to know your case before they commit to work with you. They offer all potential clients a no-obligation, free consultation where you can discuss your case under the client-attorney privilege. This means that everything you say will be kept private and the firm will respectfully advise you at no charge. You can learn more about Texas divorce law and get a good idea of how you want to proceed with your case.

Office Hours

Mon-Fri: 8 AM – 6 PM Saturday: By Appointment Only

"(Required)" indicates required fields