Advice For Stay-At-Home Moms During a Divorce

A majority of stay-at-home moms and dads are individuals who have given up careers to dedicate their daily lives to their children and families. In doing so, they not just make sure to provide healthy meals and clean clothes for their kids, but also provide critical support for the career growth of their spouses.

The demands and challenges that confront stay-at-home moms embroiled in a divorce are unique. They require the right advice and help to meet these unique challenges and to protect their legal interests in divorce. Some of the most common concerns for stay-at-home moms going through a divorce are:

Financial costs of divorce proceedings
Custody of children
Amount of alimony
Equitable distribution of marital assets

Being prepared for all possible financial and personal outcomes is a way to take control for stay-at-home moms facing the unique set of challenges that a divorce brings. Below are some of the steps you can take as a stay-at-home mom to ensure that.

Assess and Collect Your Documents

You must start gathering documents related to your finances as well as your marriage, children, and your household in general. For example, begin collecting and copying documents such as:

Marriage license
Identification documentation, such as social security cards and drivers’ licenses
Bank account statements
Retirement account statements
Credit card statements
Mortgage and loan statements
Life insurance records
Health insurance records and cards
Tax records for the last five to ten years
Paystubs

Plan Your Financial Future

Apart from gathering important financial and other documents, you as a stay-at-home mom fighting a divorce should also take these few relevant steps to begin planning for your financial future:

Prepare a budget taking into account expected income after divorce
Gather and sort information about education, job history, and future job prospects after divorce
Gather credit reports and review credit score
Start building credit by opening a new credit card in your name only
Explore and study all possible sources of income after divorce

Plan Your Personal Future

Children should figure on the top of your list as a divorcing stay-at-home mom. Custody and visitation rights remain very critical concerns that you need to deliberate on, as you prepare for divorce.

Reach Out to Family and Friends

You can be certain of the fact that you will need a helping hand during such an arduous and distressing period of your life. Reach out for help, whether it is someone who can be with your kids during your mediation sessions or a friend who can impart relevant advice and guidance, having been through such a situation themselves.

Press the Reset Button in Your Life

It might seem impossible as you go through some of the most stressful times of your life, but divorce can also mean a fresh new start and may result in new opportunities. It always helps to write down some life goals or things that you always thought of doing but never had an opportunity earlier. Make a bucket list and start checking those boxes.

Alternatives to Expensive Divorce Litigation

It is natural for many stay-at-home moms to try and save money by avoiding court and litigation costs. However, this leaves them extremely susceptible to accepting even an adverse divorce settlement because of their inability to hire a competent family law attorney. It does not necessarily have to be this way because there are a few alternatives to an expensive litigated divorce, including:

Divorce Mediation

Divorce mediation can be a great option when spouses think they can work together to resolve all issues even if they do not necessarily agree with them. In divorce mediation, the couple takes help from a neutral third party to create a divorce settlement agreement.

Collaborative Divorce

As an alternative to divorce court, collaborative divorce provides the security of having your own lawyer while also committing to work on reaching an agreement with your spouse. In a collaborative divorce, both spouses hire specially trained collaborative attorneys who help them negotiate a settlement that covers everything including property division, spousal support, and child custody.

Spouse-Funded Litigation

Since divorce trials are time-consuming and expensive, most courts allow a spouse who is financially weak to request the other spouse to pay for their court costs and attorneys’ fees. If the court grants this request the judge usually puts the repayment terms in the final divorce decree.

Consult with a Trusted Family Law Attorney if You are a Stay-at-Home Mom Getting a Divorce

At Smith Law Firm, our experienced team of divorce attorneys are adept at handling divorce cases and also the consequent post-divorce complications. If you are considering divorce or facing a family law matter, our compassionate and competent Alabama family law attorneys can help protect your rights while working toward the best possible resolution of your case.

To speak to a seasoned family law attorney from our firm, call today at (334) 377-1674 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation.