Should I Plan For My Kentucky Divorce?
If you are contemplating a divorce action, it is in your best interest to take care of a few things before you file your divorce action. As your Elizabethtown divorce lawyer, I will help you take the steps you need to take in order to protect yourself and your children. Below are some steps for you to consider as you begin to plan for your Kentucky divorce action.
Open a Post Office Box
Privacy is essential when planning a divorce and during a divorce action. Opening a post office box can give you the privacy you need to communicate with your attorney and to receive other information. You do not want your spouse, or anyone else, intercepting your mail during a divorce action.
Get a New Email Address
This is especially important if you share an email address with your spouse or if you spouse has access to your email account. You can obtain a free email account from one of many free services such as Yahoo, Gmail, etc. In addition, do not use your work email for personal emails. Your employer owns your work email account; therefore, it may be subject to a subpoena by your spouse’s attorney. You do not want to make it easy for your spouse to gain access to your emails.
Update Passwords
Change all of your passwords, including business and personal. Even if you do not believe your spouse has your passwords, it is best to change passwords now. Do not use the same password for each account — this is never wise, especially in a divorce. Lastpass or 1Password can help keep your passwords secure.
Update Beneficiary Designations
Once your divorce action is filed, you may not be able to change your beneficiary designations on life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and other financial accounts. Nothing prevents you from doing so prior to filing a divorce action unless the account requires your spouse to consent to the change (i.e. some retirement accounts may require consent). In addition, update your will. If you do not have a will, see a probate attorney to draft a simple will. Many people forget to update their estate plan after a divorce. If you should die before updating your estate plan, your ex-spouse could still receive an inheritance if he or she is named as an heir or a beneficiary.
Deactivate and Secure Social Media
Immediate set your security settings for all social media accounts to the highest possible setting and then deactivate the accounts. This will not remove the accounts; however, it does prevent anyone from posting any further information to your account. In some cases, it also prevents anyone from seeing the information already posted to your account. Deleting accounts may be viewed as destroying evidence; however, deactivating the accounts can prevent the information from being found through general internet searches. Divorce attorneys routinely run internet searches on the other party; therefore, make it as difficult as possible for them to find this information. We will discuss how to handle social media information in further detail as we plan and file your divorce action.
Open a Separate Bank Account
If you have a joint account, withdraw one-half of the balance and open an account in your name only at a different bank. Make sure you change any direct deposit information immediately so your income is deposited into your new account.
Begin Gathering Financial Information
Financial information will be very important when planning for alimony, child support, and property division. Gathering this information before your divorce is filed may be much easier. Furthermore, your attorney may want to take specific steps before or immediately after filing your divorce action based on the information you provide to him. Examples of information and documents you need include:
- Credit report
- Bank statements
- Retirement accounts
- Real estate documents (i.e. deeds, mortgages, etc.)
- Income tax returns for the past 3 to 4 years
- Paycheck stubs or pay advices for you and for your spouse
- Titles to vehicles or other personal property
- Credit card statement
- Investment accounts (i.e. stock certificates, mutual funds, etc.)
- Life insurance policies
- Estate planning documents (i.e. will, power of attorney, trust, etc.)
If you cannot access some of your information or documents, make a list for your attorney so he can subpoena the information, if necessary.
Contact An Elizabethtown Divorce Lawyer
It is always best to meet with an Elizabethtown divorce lawyer as soon as you think you may want to separate from your spouse. If you cannot meet with our Elizabethtown divorce lawyer right now, you should begin to take steps to protect yourself. We urge you to contact our office as soon as possible to discuss your case with an Elizabethtown divorce lawyer. Each case is different; therefore, you may need to take extra steps to protect yourself and your children.
Contact Musselwhite Meinhart & Staples, PSC by calling 270-506-4052 or use our online contact form to speak with an experienced Elizabethtown divorce lawyer.