Divorce Tips for Stay-at-Home Parents in Florida
Embarking on divorce is challenging and intimidating, even for those who have regular income and are in control of their finances. But if you are a stay-at-home parent, the prospect of getting divorced can be particularly terrifying, especially if it has been a while since you had a job (or never a job).
If you fear for your future as a stay-at-home parent going through the divorce process, speak with our Orlando divorce attorney from the Law Offices of Steve W. Marsee to figure out your next steps and secure your financial stability.
In the meantime, you may want to read our divorce tips for stay-at-home parents in Florida.
Know Your Rights
It is critical to be familiar with Florida’s divorce and family law to know what you are getting into and what to expect. Understating the law can help you figure out your divorce strategy and be able to adapt to all kinds of situations that may arise in the divorce process.
If you are not familiar with the law, do not worry. You can schedule a free consultation with your Florida divorce lawyers at the Law Offices of Steve W. Marsee to explore your divorce rights as a stay-at-home parent.
Start Gathering Documents
Documents may be boring, but they play an essential part in any divorce process. Attorneys advise starting to collect documents before you file for divorce in Florida. These documents include:
- Bank statements
- W2s
- Tax returns
- Investment and retirement account statements
- Insurance policies
- Loan information
- Mortgage and home equity documents
That’s just a small fraction of the paperwork that should be assembled in the divorce process. Your Orlando divorce attorney can help you gather these and other docs during the discovery process.
Get Access to Documents
Divorce and paperwork are practically synonymous. Unfortunately, it often happens that stay-at-home parents simply do not have access to the documents mentioned above.
In this situation, avoid gathering the documents illegally as this could be used against you in such divorce proceedings as property distribution, alimony, and even child custody. Instead, consult with an experienced divorce lawyer to gain access to the missing documents.
Make Plans
For any stay-at-home parent in Orlando or elsewhere in Florida, divorce almost always brings drastic changes to their lifestyle, the standard of living, and financial situation, especially if you had a high-earning ex-spouse.
That is why proper and thorough planning is a crucial step. For a stay-at-home parent, it is important to make parenting and financial plans for years to come. A divorce lawyer in Orlando can help you work with your ex-spouse to establish a parenting plan out of court.
Financial plans are also vital for stay-at-home parents going through a divorce in Florida. You may want to create a temporary financial plan before the divorce is final, and may then need to modify it according to the final settlement.
Pursue Employment Opportunities
For those who worked and earned income during the marriage, providing for themselves after the divorce is rarely an issue. The situation is entirely different for stay-at-home parents.
It may seem that spousal support payments are enough to keep you satisfied with your post-divorce standard of living, but do keep in mind that in most cases, alimony does not last forever.
That is why you should consider pursuing employment opportunities to be able to provide for yourself even after alimony is terminated. In other words, learn new skills, get training, study, and do any other things that strengthen your employability.
If you are a stay-at-home parent who feels overwhelmed and “stuck” in the divorce process, talk to our Orlando divorce attorney from Law Offices of Steve W. Marsee. We can help you figure out your next steps. Call at 407-521-7171 for a free case evaluation.
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