On behalf of Cooper & Tanis, P.C. posted in divorce on Thursday, October 22, 2015.

After a divorce, former spouses have to get used to becoming responsible for some aspects of their lives that they didn’t have to deal with when they were married. Therefore, it is important to have a checklist to stay organized and not let any new task fall through the cracks. For instance, it may be worthwhile for newly single individuals to pull their credit reports and to make sure that they don’t forget to make debt payments on time.

To avoid privacy issues, it is worthwhile to create new online accounts, change passwords to current accounts and get a new mailing address. This may prevent a former spouse from spying online or reading mail that is not addressed to him or her. Prior to asking for a divorce, it is important to gather as many financial documents as possible while they are still easy to get. Once the intent to divorce has been made public, documents may be harder to find or obtain.

Those who don’t want their former spouse to continue to be a named beneficiary should change current designations on their life insurance policies and retirement accouts. It may also be beneficial to change a will, trust and other estate planning documents. If left in their current form, a former spouse may be entitled to receive property or to take custody of minor children.

A person who is contemplating filing for divorce may want to contact an attorney who has experience in family law. As this can be a time where emotions and stress are rampant, legal counsel can help ensure that the applicable divorce legal issues are handled appropriately and in the client’s best interest.