After The Divorce: 4 Things To Remember
Divorce can be very tumultuous. You will go through a variety of emotions during the divorce process: sadness, anger, frustration and even relief when the whole process is complete. The process can be speedy, but it tends to be long and drawn out. Once the divorce is officially final and has the court's seal on it, it may not actually be done. Before you end up in the position where you need to rely on your ex for assistance down the road, make sure you have all the loose ends tied up. Be aware of these common things that can slip through the cracks.
Make sure all stipulations to the judgement are handled in a timely manner and any releases are signed. When dividing property, you might be required to pay the other party an amount of money in order to retain certain big ticket items. If you are given the house and your ex's name is on the deed, you likely will need to refinance. When there are stipulations in the judgement, make sure that they are taken care of quickly and you are given proof that it happened. Sometimes simply doing it isn't good enough, even if you keep good records. There could be specific paperwork that needs to be signed by your ex and given to the court to file and you may not even know about it until down the road. If there are stipulations in your decree, be sure to ask your lawyer if there is any additional paperwork that will need to be filed when it is taken care of.
Get everything that was awarded to you put in your name as soon as possible. Even if it isn't mandated that you refinance a loan, be sure to go through the process of getting your ex's name off of everything. Depending on your state, you may be in for a big surprise when you go to sell your vehicle if their name is still on it, even with your divorce decree that shows that the title belongs to you. Depending on your relationship with your ex, dealing with him or her down the road could be a real struggle just to sell what is rightfully yours.
Things are complicated when children are involved. If your divorce involved children, you aren't done dealing with your ex. If your parenting plan left loopholes or if you ever want to relocate, be prepared to end up back in court. Something as minor as a job change might result in changes to the plan. If you struggle to keep a good relationship with your ex, co-parenting will be a challenge. Simply modifications can result in long, painful and drawn out court processes if your relationship is strained.
Don't forget to change your will and anywhere your ex was named as a beneficiary. Go through your life insurance policies and anywhere else that you may have had your ex listed as a beneficiary. You may also need to change your policies to reflect your new single status!
Divorce can be heartbreaking, but it can also be very liberating. Make sure that you are not setting yourself up for having to continue to deal with your ex down the road. Ask your attorney if you have any questions about anything that needs to be done after your divorce is final and their obligation to you is over.
If you have more questions about the divorce process, contact a law firm like Bray & Johnson Law Firm.
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