Prepping for divorce in California

While for some people in California hearing the words "I want a divorce" from their partner is a bombshell moment, for others divorce is a long ways coming, and is a mutual decision that comes after months or even years of unhappiness. If this is the case, there are steps you can take to help yourself if it seems like divorce is on the horizon.

First of all, it can help for you to gather all of your financial records prior to divorce, and have a good understanding of what assets and liabilities you have, what your income is and what your regular expenditures are. This can allow an individual and his or her attorney to start planning for the individual's financial future post-divorce right away. Similarly, it can help to have a nest egg set aside to pay for post-divorce expenses.

In addition, it can be helpful to take care of certain types of tasks such as updating an estate plan or completing certain types of financial transactions prior to filing for divorce. This is because in California, after an individual files for divorce, the court may temporarily prevent them from changing an estate plan or performing certain types of financial transactions.

Finally, while it may be tempting to turn to Facebook or Twitter to vent your feelings, it may be a better idea to avoid social media for the time being. Social media accounts can be considered evidence, and one irresponsible post could lead to trouble down the road.

Divorce issues can be complicated, legally and emotionally. Like any major life change, by being prepared you may be able to protect your interests both before, during and after the divorce proceedings.

Source: The Huffington Post, "6 Things to Do Before Filing for Divorce," Lisa Helfend Meyer, Feb. 2, 2016