Pre-Divorce Legal Guidance: How a Lawyer Can Help You Make Decisions Before You Divorce

Many clients ask us what they can do if they know they want to divorce but aren’t sure if the time is right. Perhaps they’re concerned about finances or what will happen with their kids. Maybe they’re anticipating – or dreading – how difficult the conversation will be when they finally tell their spouse that they want to end their marriage.

We tell these clients that they don’t have to know now that they want a divorce to get value from working with a divorce attorney to explore the divorce landscape and their options.

Pre-divorce legal guidance is a way to ask questions, define goals, and really decide if and when divorce is the best path forward. Armed with the resources and answers they need, these clients are able to move forward, at their own pace, toward divorce.

How Does Pre-Divorce Legal Guidance Work?

Let’s say we have a client named John. He’s been married to his wife for 20 years, and they have three children. For years now, John has wondered if he would be happier if he ended his marriage. He and his wife are devoted to their kids, and they are still friendly with each other, but there has been no romantic love between them for years. They have tried individual and couple’s therapy, but nothing has made a long-term difference.

Some of John’s questions include:

• How and when should he broach the idea of divorce with his wife?
• Should he wait until the kids are out of high school?
• How much should he expect to pay in child and spousal support?
• How will they make it work financially when they are living in two homes?
• When will he see his kids?
• What will the right divorce process be for them, and how does he talk to his wife about this?

Once John begins working with us, we will be available to answer all these questions and more as they arise during this earliest stage of the divorce process. When we are retained as a Pre-Divorce Legal Consultant, we help our clients:

• Clarify their goals. What type of relationship do they want with their spouse during and after the divorce? What is important to them? What kind of future do they ideally want? We walk through all the possibilities based on their unique interests and concerns and assist our clients in refining their goals into actionable steps.
• Understand the legal landscape. Making informed decisions and understanding both parties’ legal rights and obligations are vital to making the divorce process smooth and efficient.
• Select a divorce process. There are several ways to approach a non-adversarial divorce, including mediation and collaborative divorce. We understand the ins and outs of these processes and give our clients advice about which one will best fit their situation. We will then help guide them as they have conversations with their spouse about why a non-adversarial divorce is important to them and why their spouse should retain a similar type of attorney.
• Analyze options. We help our clients understand options around how assets and liabilities may be divided in their divorce. We will also help them understand their current financial situation and how their financial lifestyle might (or might not) change after divorce.
• Find other advisors. As divorce attorneys with deep roots in the NYC metropolitan area, we are well connected with family therapists, financial advisors, and other professionals throughout the region. If expert guidance helps our clients make better decisions, we will provide them with top-notch experts in fields relevant to the issues they are facing.

Throughout the early stage of the divorce process, we are working with clients to ensure they gain clarity and develop a plan, so they have the peace of mind they need to make decisions and move forward.

Considering divorce but feel uncertain or fearful about what to do next? Contact us to learn how pre-divorce legal guidance can help provide clarity and peace of mind.