While no one wants to think their marriage will end poorly, it's a statistical likelihood that it could happen to anyone. According to Statista, there were 67.54 million married men and 68.33 million married women in the United States in 2021. Unfortunately, there's a chance many are no longer together. When people find themselves in a situation where ending a marriage is inevitable, many turn to a local divorce lawyer for help. Regardless of the circumstances causing the separation, here are three ways to prepare for the split..

1. See What You Can Do to Avoid Court

There are times when you both agree that the marriage isn't working and you have to figure out how to reasonably split any assets, debts, child and spousal support, and other matters. If that's the case, then you can see about using a divorce service that sends you the forms for your state and you create a marital settlement agreement. If you can't do that, then you will want to contact a local divorce lawyer.

2. Think About the Parenting Arrangements

Divorce isn't just hard on the people going through it. Children are also affected, especially since it's going to change their daily dynamics and where they live. It's a good idea to discuss how that's going to happen. Try to do it civilly and not use the children as pawns against each other. Use a calendar to figure out where the children will stay on certain days. Locking in holiday plans in advance is important because you don't want the children to feel left out on a certain day, especially if it's at the last minute.

3. Get All of Your Necessary Documents Together

You want to make sure that you have all the relevant documents to give to your local divorce lawyer. These include marriage licenses, life insurance policies, a list of financial assets and debt, retirement plans, any payment information, tax returns, and so much more. All of these will paint the clearest picture of what assets can be split.

You need to be ready for a lot of things when it comes to divorce, even if it's a mutual one. You want to set up your own bank account, get a new, secure email and change any passwords to anything that you jointly shared or your social media. If you do these things, you should have an easier time. If this list feels overwhelming, our services can help! Do you feel like your marriage is beyond saving? Do you need a local divorce lawyer? Contact Oberst DeFala Law, PC today so we can help you navigate this difficult time with ease.