15 Steps To Prepare For A Michigan Divorce

1. Before you file for divorce or let your spouse know about your intentions, it would be wise to use joint funds to repair your automobile and home, buy clothes for yourself and your children, and get needed dental work and medical checkups. If you wait until after separation, some of these expenses may be yours alone.
2. Depending on how you and your spouse arrange your finances it is critical that you put some money aside to hire an attorney. A lot of times a spouse doesn’t want the other spouse to know they are filing for divorce, so if this is the case you need to have some cash on the side. If you use a credit card or check it will likely trace back.
3. Put six months worth of cash reserves aside to use during the first few months of separation. Depending on how your spouse takes the divorce you may not have access to marital funds.
4. Consider transferring your half of the joint funds to your separate bank account. Do not spend it recklessly as the Court will require you to account for it.
5. If you have any outstanding bills or credit card debt that is solely in your name, it would be wise to pay them from joint funds before separating. During the divorce, funds may not be easily accessible, if you can’t pay your bills your credit rating will be damaged.
6. If you receive an inheritance , do not put it in both you and your spouses’ name and don’t use it toward marital purchases or marital expenses. Keep all inheritances separate from your spouse.
7. If you see a bonus coming to you at work on the horizon, consider postponing it. Try to avoid any additional income until after the divorce in order to reduce your potential liability for alimony and/or spousal support. If you are the spouse receiving alimony or spousal support, avoiding additional income could increase the support you receive.
8. If you have any special items that belong to you, consider keeping those items at a different location. You will be held accountable for those items during the divorce proceedings so keep a log of the items. If you believe that your spouse may have intentions of removing some items from the home, take pictures of those items, or even consider video taping all items in the house, room by room. Do not keep the pictures or video tapes at the marital home.
9. Keep a log of your spending history for last year from your checkbooks, checking accounts and credit card statements, so we can determine your future needs and decide how much you will need to continue with a similar lifestyle, or where you can cut back on some expenses.
10. It’s critical that you become familiar with all the expenses associated with maintaining the marital residence and the related needs of your spouse and your children. You should know where you can trim the excess from personal and household expenses since you or your spouse may have to maintain a separate residence along supporting with the marital residence during the divorce proceeding.
11. If you have any incriminating information about your spouse like a video tape, a police report, a diary, or copies of emails to his/her lover, keep these items in a safe place, not at the marital home. It may help negotiate a better deal down the road.
12. Gather up all documents that show anything you and your spouse owe, including all credit card statements, mortgage statements, home equity loan statements, vehicle titles, boat registrations, financial statements, tax returns, retirement plan documents, brokerage statements, insurance policies, deeds, bank account records, property tax statements, etc. Keep copies of these documents in a safe place, again not at the marital home.
13. When you are ready to separate, close all joint credit card accounts, so your spouse cannot charge items you will later be jointly responsible for.
14. You should start thinking of ways to build up your own credit if you have relied on your spouse during the entire marriage. If you do not have credit cards in your own name, you should immediately obtain credit cards in your own name so that you can establish credit. It may be easier for you to establish this credit while you are still married. Without a credit history, you may find it difficult after the divorce to purchase a house or even a car.
15. Most important, consult with a Michigan divorce attorney to discuss your legal rights. Make a written list of the questions you want to discuss with the attorney. This is one of the most important events in you life. Make sure that you hire an attorney who is experienced in family law and with whom you feel comfortable and confident in talking to.