4 Things to Do Before Filing for Divorce
Indiana is a “no fault” divorce state so there are no specific grounds necessary to file for divorce. This means that there are not many barriers to filing, other than meeting the jurisdictional requirements of living in your county for three months and the state of Indiana for six months.
Getting a divorce can also be a hard, life-changing process so you want to be absolutely sure that it is something you want before filing. You also want to be able to look back and feel good about your decision. Here are four things you should do before filing for divorce in Indiana.
Talk to a Marriage Counselor
Even if you don’t believe there is hope for the marriage, counseling can help and even surprise you. At best you can save your marriage, at worst you can learn more about yourself and walk away knowing you tried. If you need help finding a counselor, our firm would be happy to provide referrals. If money is an issue, there are also several online counseling alternatives such as Our Relationship which helps solve relationship problems.
Talk to an Attorney
You should talk to an attorney and get advice about your situation, even if you are not at the point where you are ready to hire anybody. This is because the laws surrounding Indiana divorce are complex and you want to make sure that you don’t take any missteps in the beginning that could influence the outcome.
Do not move out of Marital Residence
Moving from one household to two can be challenging, especially if there are kids involved. You want to be sure you have a plan in place with regards to who will pay what bills through the duration of the divorce. It may not be a good idea to move out until you have those details settled because it is not easy to move back in after you have already moved out. If there is any violence in the home though, you should move out immediately and take whatever actions you need to secure your safety.
Safeguard your assets
You may want to secure things you need if you believe you will be leaving the marital residence. This could include a lot of your personal property such as clothes and jewelry. If you believe your divorce will be hostile, you may want to take protective measures such as removing your spouse from your credit cards and closing joint accounts. You may also want to consider freezing your credit to prevent them from taking out any loans or borrowing in you name.