What is Pre-Divorce Guidance?

Pre-divorce Guidance is the process of working with an attorney to prepare for your divorce and get the legal and practical advice you need to move forward. 

If you know your marriage is ending, but need more time to prepare before you are ready to start the divorce process, pre-divorce guidance is an optimal way to get the legal counsel you need to make fully informed decisions. By preparing now, you will save time, money, and stress in the long run.

How Does Pre-Divorce Guidance Work?

The most effective way to approach a divorce is understanding how the process works, what issues will need to be addressed and what options may be available. By working with an attorney who can provide you with ongoing advice before you start the divorce process, you will be ready to move forward with confidence when the time is right; and without the devastating risks or surprises that come from making rash decisions.

The best aspect of pre-divorce guidance is that it can be tailored to fit your unique goals. By working with you to better understand your current situation and considering your objectives, your attorney can provide important information and services to help you be as prepared as possible to move forward with your divorce. Some of the most common features of pre-divorce guidance include:

• Advising and providing you with legal counsel. We will advise you and help you approach your divorce in a way that puts you in the best place possible to make legal and practical decisions.
• Helping you focus on your goals. You may not know exactly what you want your post-divorce life to look like or what is most important to you.  By helping you to understand what is possible and think about your options, your goals can become clearer to you.
• Picking your divorce process. We will help you decide whether mediation or the collaborative divorce process will be a better fit for you and your spouse and we will coach you about how to speak with your spouse about it in the most productive way.  
• Helping you to advocate for yourself. You and your spouse may be having some discussions between yourselves related to how to divorce, how to make things work financially and how to divide time with the children when you are no longer living together. These are not easy discussions to have, but you will not have to do it on your own.  We will be there to counsel and coach you along the way so that you can raise and respond to concerns and questions in the most productive way possible and be your own best advocate. 
• Analyzing your financial situation. We will look at your family’s sources of income, expenses, assets and liabilities and other financial issues that are important to be aware of during your divorce. If you do not know how to gather this information, we will advise you on that as well.
• Speaking with your existing advisors or helping you find new ones. Every divorce decision has legal, financial and emotional issues. During pre-divorce guidance, we can help you find any type of advisor you may need so that you can make fully informed decisions and we can speak with your existing advisors as well, including your financial advisor, therapist or others who are already providing you with guidance during this transitional time.

What are the Benefits of Pre-Divorce Guidance?

Talking with a qualified divorce attorney can give you a holistic picture of your current relationship and what might happen if you get divorced. Pre-divorce guidance offers other benefits as well, including: 

• You remove fears and uncertainty surrounding divorce. Pre-divorce guidance can help you tackle challenges such as division of property/assets, custody and parenting schedules, spousal support or alimony, and more.
• Clarity regarding your goals. With pre-divorce guidance, you can focus on the future that you want and make better decisions from the start that will help the divorce process go more smoothly.
• Peace of mind. Working with an attorney in the early stages of the process can help you control your divorce so there is less animosity moving forward.

What Issues Can Be Clarified With Pre-Divorce Guidance?

• Understanding your legal rights and obligations
• Understanding the different divorce processes, including mediation and collaborative divorce
• How to begin separating from your spouse
• Understanding options for:
  • Child custody and parenting plans
  • Spousal support plans
  • Property and asset division

Contact Vacca Family Law Group to Get Pre-Divorce Guidance

Vacca Family Law Group provides pre-divorce guidance services for clients of all different backgrounds. Our attorneys can help you learn more about what your divorce will entail, how you can best move forward, and how to minimize your risks when pursuing divorce. 

Whether you’re still not sure you want to pursue divorce or are seriously considering separating from your spouse, our pre-divorce guidance attorneys can provide expert counsel and information. To get started today, simply contact our office at 212-768-1115 and set up your first, fully confidential consultation.