Divorce
A Child Advocacy Company
Bringing Support to Parents
Building Strength to Children
Bringing Support to Parents
Building Strength to Children
TEN THINGS YOU NEED DO IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT A DIVORCE
Here is a listing of the ten things that you want to do if you think a divorce is imminent.
1. Contact BS Kids. You need to become informed and educated about what your rights are in the
state that you reside. You need someone to help you determine what it is you want and what you are
willing to negotiate with. You need an advocate!
2. Copy Documents: Make sure that you have current copies of all of your financial information,
including bank statements, investments, tax returns, medical information, cars, etc. Make sure
that anything that is in your name, you have a copy of it. It’s much better to have this information
now, while it’s still convenient for you to obtain. You can always get copies if you don’t have one, but
now is the time to act.
3. Inventory your household and family possessions. Make a list of where, when, why you bought all
household items, which were gifts, which were given to you, your spouse. This will be important later,
but make sure you take a room by room inventory.
4. Household Budget and Expenses. Make sure that you have a clear picture of what your family
presently lives on, financially and what you are contributing to that number. This will be important
when child support and alimony are figured out. Proof of what the “actual numbers” is always a good
thing to have. This should include utility bills, mortgages, rents, memberships, subscriptions, etc.
5. Determine how you will manage supporting two families. Remember if the judge awards custody
to your spouse, you will be responsible for providing them in the same lifestyle that they live in now.
If you can eliminate debt now, it won’t be a consideration later. Advanced planning will be very
helpful at this stage.
6. Determine how much your spouse earns or has available as ready assets. Determining what your
spouse earns or has as a liquid asset will also help in determining how much financial help he/she may
need in the future. If she has just received a huge inheritance, be sure you understand the nature
of those funds and how/when they can use them.
7. Determine how much you can make or possibly make in the future. If you have a job that requires
a lot of travel or long hours, which will conflict with your children’s schooling, you need to determine
if you still want to stay in your present position or if you need to find something closer to home,
different hours, etc.
8. Credit History: If all of the credit cards have always been in your spouses name, it’s time that
you applied for some of your own, so that you too have a credit line, so that you will have a credit
history.
9. Separate Funds: You should make sure that all of your accounts aren’t joint accounts. You should
set up an account for yourself, your own liquidity, with your own funds. You should start saving your
own money for your own future needs.
10. Make sure that your children are your top priority. Your children are going to be the ones who
experience the most change in this whole process. There lives are going to be disrupted and it’s
critical that you keep their best interests on the top of your list. How will this affect their
schooling? Friends? Living conditions? All of these, and this is just the short list, will have a major
impact on who they move forward. This is so important, as they are the innocent victims in this whole
process. Although you and your spouse are no longer together, you will have to work on making some
type of communication work between the two of you, for your children’s sakes. It’s not going to be
easy, but you must make the commitment that you will consider and put your children’s feelings
above everything else.
I hope that this list helps you in determining some important facts that you should consider, if you
are considering a divorce. Please feel free to contact us at BS Kids with any questions you may
have. As indicated, this is only a partial list, but it’s a good starting point.
Here is a listing of the ten things that you want to do if you think a divorce is imminent.
1. Contact BS Kids. You need to become informed and educated about what your rights are in the
state that you reside. You need someone to help you determine what it is you want and what you are
willing to negotiate with. You need an advocate!
2. Copy Documents: Make sure that you have current copies of all of your financial information,
including bank statements, investments, tax returns, medical information, cars, etc. Make sure
that anything that is in your name, you have a copy of it. It’s much better to have this information
now, while it’s still convenient for you to obtain. You can always get copies if you don’t have one, but
now is the time to act.
3. Inventory your household and family possessions. Make a list of where, when, why you bought all
household items, which were gifts, which were given to you, your spouse. This will be important later,
but make sure you take a room by room inventory.
4. Household Budget and Expenses. Make sure that you have a clear picture of what your family
presently lives on, financially and what you are contributing to that number. This will be important
when child support and alimony are figured out. Proof of what the “actual numbers” is always a good
thing to have. This should include utility bills, mortgages, rents, memberships, subscriptions, etc.
5. Determine how you will manage supporting two families. Remember if the judge awards custody
to your spouse, you will be responsible for providing them in the same lifestyle that they live in now.
If you can eliminate debt now, it won’t be a consideration later. Advanced planning will be very
helpful at this stage.
6. Determine how much your spouse earns or has available as ready assets. Determining what your
spouse earns or has as a liquid asset will also help in determining how much financial help he/she may
need in the future. If she has just received a huge inheritance, be sure you understand the nature
of those funds and how/when they can use them.
7. Determine how much you can make or possibly make in the future. If you have a job that requires
a lot of travel or long hours, which will conflict with your children’s schooling, you need to determine
if you still want to stay in your present position or if you need to find something closer to home,
different hours, etc.
8. Credit History: If all of the credit cards have always been in your spouses name, it’s time that
you applied for some of your own, so that you too have a credit line, so that you will have a credit
history.
9. Separate Funds: You should make sure that all of your accounts aren’t joint accounts. You should
set up an account for yourself, your own liquidity, with your own funds. You should start saving your
own money for your own future needs.
10. Make sure that your children are your top priority. Your children are going to be the ones who
experience the most change in this whole process. There lives are going to be disrupted and it’s
critical that you keep their best interests on the top of your list. How will this affect their
schooling? Friends? Living conditions? All of these, and this is just the short list, will have a major
impact on who they move forward. This is so important, as they are the innocent victims in this whole
process. Although you and your spouse are no longer together, you will have to work on making some
type of communication work between the two of you, for your children’s sakes. It’s not going to be
easy, but you must make the commitment that you will consider and put your children’s feelings
above everything else.
I hope that this list helps you in determining some important facts that you should consider, if you
are considering a divorce. Please feel free to contact us at BS Kids with any questions you may
have. As indicated, this is only a partial list, but it’s a good starting point.
Disclaimer: BS Kids LLC legal research and information has been prepared for educational and informational purposes only. This material is not legal advice or legal
opinions on any specific matters. Transmission of the information is not intended to create and receipt does not constitute a lawyer-client relationship between BS Kids
LLC , the author of the information and any other legal publisher. Customers of BS Kids should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. The
opinions expressed in the material presented to BS Kids clientele is based on information found in legal publications. BS Kids LLC, 78 Canterberry Court, Hudson, NH
03051 781-756-1214.
opinions on any specific matters. Transmission of the information is not intended to create and receipt does not constitute a lawyer-client relationship between BS Kids
LLC , the author of the information and any other legal publisher. Customers of BS Kids should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. The
opinions expressed in the material presented to BS Kids clientele is based on information found in legal publications. BS Kids LLC, 78 Canterberry Court, Hudson, NH
03051 781-756-1214.
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