You’re considering a divorce, but you’re not sure if you should. You haven’t thought much about it, but after the way your spouse treated you recently, it’s been on the top of your mind.
There are some different questions you can ask yourself to determine if a divorce is right for you. Here are five that commonly come up among divorcing couples.
1. Can I afford to divorce?
The first thing to ask yourself is if you can afford to divorce. Yes, there are times when a divorce simply may not be feasible yet, so a separation might be a better choice. If you are dependent on your spouse, it’s time to take steps to find support, so you can divorce without worrying about where you’ll live or how you’ll afford to eat or get to work.
2. Why do I want to divorce?
Perhaps a more important questions is why you want to divorce. If you’ve had a relatively successful marriage up until now, you need to take a deep look into the cause of the feelings you’re having now. Is your spouse hurtful? Are they just not home enough? See if you can talk through your problems, since a divorce will result in hurt feelings and likely end your relationship for good.
3. What will I need from the marriage to move forward successfully after divorce?
Another thing to think about is what you’d like to take with you after divorce. Texas is a community property state, so you will be entitled to around 50% of your assets. Think about what you want and what you need to successfully divorce and live comfortably afterward.
4. Am I happy with community property laws or willing to negotiate?
If you aren’t happy with walking away with 50% of your assets or know that your spouse has truly put in more time and money than you, you might want to negotiate. If you’re not happy with the 50% divide, be prepared with a game plan on how to ask for the assets you want and what you can afford to lose to make that happen.
5. How is my spouse going to react?
Finally, think about how your spouse will react. If they’re relatively even-tempered, you may not have any kind of conflict. However, an angered spouse can make the entire process more difficult. Remember to be patient and careful about how you bring up the topic.
These are five tips to help you start thinking about divorce. If you are ready to divorce, speak with your attorney first.