If you are thinking it is time for a divorce here in Waldorf, Maryland, or other parts of Southern Maryland, there is some advance planning that you can do. If divorce is in your future, you can obtain a legal consultation from experienced and skilled Maryland divorce attorneys like the ones at the Law Office of Robert Castro. You can call us at (301) 870-1200. We are divorce attorneys in Waldorf, Maryland. Here are a few pro tips on advance planning for your divorce.

First, there are several documents to gather (some of which might not be relevant to your divorce). These include:

• Property records — including real property records and titles for major items like vehicles, boats, etc.
• Copies of recent financial statements, including all financial accounts, retirement accounts, etc.
• Copies of debt records like student loans, credit card statements, mortgages, etc.
• Records related to a business owned by one or both of the spouses
• Records related to all other assets, including valuation of those assets
• Any agreements signed between the spouses — like a prenuptial agreement
• Any records that might show that certain assets are separately owned property — like records of an inheritance or records showing that you had separately owned certain assets before the marriage
• Records related to children (if any) — including school records, expense records, medical records (maybe), etc.
• Employment and income records of both spouses — including tax returns and pay stubs; these will be needed for alimony decisions and can be helpful if any sort of garnishment of wages will be needed to guarantee alimony and/or child support payments
• Spending records (if you think your spouse has been wasting marital assets)
• Medical records (if either spouse has a medical condition that will be relevant to issues like alimony and property division)
• Other records, proof and evidence related to a for-fault grounds for your divorce (like adultery)

Second, you need to set some goals. For example, maybe you want full and complete custody of any children. Note that unless the spouses agree, ultimately, the Maryland/DC divorce court judge will make decisions about custody and other disputed divorce matters. So, you can set some goals but realize that you may not be able to achieve those goals. Nonetheless, it is essential to begin divorce proceedings with your goals firmly in mind. It is also important to communicate those goals to your trusted Maryland divorce attorneys. Your goals will affect your divorce attorneys’ legal tactics and strategies.

Note also that your goals can change as the divorce proceeds. You might start out being reasonable but might become less so if your spouse takes a hard-line approach. If your goals and feelings change, you should communicate those changes to your Maryland divorce attorneys so that the legal tactics/strategies can be adjusted.

Other goals to consider include:

• What type of divorce proceeding do you want? As quick and as painless as possible or drawn out and brutally punishing?
• Do you want a divorce that has a reasonable cost, or do you want to “burn through the money?”
• Is it essential to keep possession of the marital home?
• How much do you want to fight over specific marital property? Do you want to be reasonable, or do you want to punish your soon-to-be ex-spouse by demanding every cherished family heirloom?
• Do you have assets and possessions that MUST remain yours after the divorce?
• What about the family pets (if any)?
• What about alimony? Do you want the most alimony possible forever or never, ever, not a dime?

Once you have your goals and priorities established, your Maryland divorce attorneys can begin preparing the court papers.

The final advance tasks include gathering supportive friends and family, deciding how and when to tell your spouse, and how and when to tell the children (if any).

Contact Waldorf, Maryland Family Law and Divorce Lawyer Robert Castro Today

This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland family law and divorce lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Divorce lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD, 20601.