You have decided to end your marriage, and now you are ready to begin the divorce process. While you are not required to have an attorney, a knowledgeable divorce attorney will most certainly make the process easier and less stressful. You can help the procedure if you properly prepare in advance for the first meeting with your divorce attorney. Your lawyer will typically provide you with some information prior to your meeting.
List Assets and Debts
North Carolina law allows couples seeking divorce to divide property in an equal manner. Both parties are entitled to half of their marital property. Marital property includes anything that you purchased after you got married. Some items could also belong to both parties based on a purchase contract. A preliminary list of assets and debts will help to begin the process of dividing property in an equal manner. You can develop a complete list as the process proceeds.
Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How can an attorney help me with my Divorce or Separation in North Carolina?”
Gather Documents
You will need to provide information from documents or data that you can obtain. Print out or gather your most recent bank statements, pay stubs, mortgage documents, vehicle purchase or lease agreements, and more. You will also need to know some key dates, such as the date of your marriage, the date you purchased your home, and the dates of your employment and contributions to your pension or IRA accounts.
Think About the Most Common Settlement Issues
There are many issues that you need to resolve during a divorce. The most common divorce settlement issues include the distribution of assets, child custody, and alimony. You will not need to provide answers yet, but you will want to start to gather your thoughts on these issues. Remember that settlement matters are best resolved between parties rather than in court. Your attorney will be instrumental in championing your needs and working with the other attorney to resolve issues between you and your spouse if they occur.
Make a List of Questions
You likely have at least a few questions about the divorce process. Write down a list of your questions so you can go through them with your attorney at your meeting. This is the easiest and most expeditious way to get answers and learn about the basic divorce process. You will want to know what to expect as you take the first steps toward ending your marriage. It is always best to get information directly from your attorney because there are many misconceptions that you will find online and from friends. Every situation is different, so it is helpful to learn as much as you can as it pertains to the details of your divorce.
Many divorces are amicable, but sometimes, parties may disagree over the details of the settlement. Compromise is a part of a divorce, and your attorney will assist in providing the options for your path toward ending your marriage fairly and cooperatively. To begin the divorce process, contact the attorneys of Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 today. Now taking cases in North Carolina as well as South Carolina.
The family law practice group at Arnold & Smith, PLLC includes four Board-Certified Family Law specialists and one Child Welfare Law specialist, as well as several attorneys with many years of family law experience that are committed to providing a powerful voice to individuals facing the often-tumultuous issues in this area of law. The range of issues our family law clients may be facing include pre- and post-nuptial agreements; separation agreements; post-separation support; child support (both temporary and permanent); absolute divorce; divorce from bed and board; military divorce; equitable distribution of assets; child custody (both temporary and permanent); retirement benefits and divorce; alimony and spousal support; adoption; and emancipation. Because this area of the law is usually emotionally charged and complicated, the family law attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC act with the utmost dedication to ensure that each client understands his or her options, and then act to achieve the best result possible for that client’s particular situation.
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