Four Divorce Tips For Stay-At-Home Spouses

If you are a spouse who has stayed at home, perhaps to take care of children, for the majority of your marriage, then you may be a bit apprehensive about pursuing a divorce. You probably wonder how you will support yourself and if your spouse will truly be made to pay you alimony. The good news is that while divorce is always challenging, many other stay-at-home spouses have successfully divorced and moved on with their lives. Here are four tips to help you do the same.

1. Hire a Financial Planner

Before you get too far into the divorce process, find yourself a reputable financial planner. This person can do a few different things for you throughout the divorce process. First, they can review any settlement offers that your partner's lawyer presents and let you know how the settlement may affect your future financially. Second, they can help you plan how to best use any money you do have after the divorce so that you can stay out of debt and be financially solvent in the future.

2. Be Ready to Give up the Home

In situations like yours, the assets often must be divided equally. If you and your spouse do not have other assets that equal the value of your home, then you will probably have to sell the home. Make peace with this fact, and understand that it may be the best way to ensure you get the money you need to live on in the divorce process. 

3. Start looking for jobs right now.

Chances are, the money you are awarded in the divorce won't be quite enough to support your lifestyle. Or, the judge may reward you a certain amount of alimony, but only for a set number of years. The assumption would be that you will move on and find a job in that time, so you will no longer need the alimony. Do not delay in your job search. It can take a while to find a well-paying job if you have been out of work for a while, so start now.

4. Hire a good lawyer.

Look for a divorce lawyer who has a long track record of success. You want someone who is going to fight for you until the bitter end, because when you are single, an extra $5,000 or $6,000 in alimony can go a long way. Interview several lawyers before you choose one to represent you. 

Follow the tips above, and you can successfully divorce as a stay-at-home spouse. Reach out to an office like Grafton Law Office for more information.