Are you one of those people that have to have everything figured out before you do something. Well, when it comes to getting a divorce, that is not something you have to worry about so much.
When folks call me, many of their questions are about the end game. Meaning that they are thinking about how they are going to reach a final agreement on their divorce. While it is good to have an understanding of how you want the divorce to conclude, it is not necessary to have every single detail figured out before filing for divorce.
If you are trying to figure out every last detail of your divorce before you file, you will never end up filing for divorce. I recommend that you break down the divorce process into a couple of steps so the divorce process is more manageable.
This is how we operate our divorce files for our clients. The first thing we do is only complete the necessary divorce documents that are required to get a case number issued. There will generally only be 3 or 4 forms you have to complete in order to file your divorce with the court. That is all you should be focusing on at first.
Then, after the divorce is filed, focus on getting your spouse served. These two steps are the first thing you should do. Having your spouse served is what will start the 6 month cooling off period.
Now that this is done, you can start on completing your financial disclosures. This is your preliminary declaration of disclosure and is where you will list all the assets and debts of your marriage. This will be used as a template so the parties understand what there is to divide. Until you have completed your financial disclosures, there is no sense trying to come to an agreement on the division of property.
I have some clients who call me and say they are waiting to file for divorce until they have a complete agreement. Again, while it is a good idea to be thinking of what you want out of the divorce, don’t let this stop you from filing for divorce and getting the process started.
We are a licensed and bonded legal document assistant company in Santa Clarita and serve all the courts in Los Angeles County.
