Planning Your First Meeting with a Divorce Attorney

 Posted on February 23, 2014 in Divorce

Considering a divorce can be a stressful experience, and it is natural to feel a little nervous before your first meeting with your divorce attorney. But, you are not alone, as every year, thousands of people in Illinois find themselves in the same situation. And, as with many things in life, preparation can make all the difference.

If you prepare well for your first meeting with a divorce attorney, you can walk confidently into their office and move forward with everything as smoothly and painlessly as possible. Proper preparation involves gathering paperwork together, and these are a few things to bring that may help you with your first meeting: a list of questions and concerns for the attorney, financial documents to help the attorney understand your assets, and a brief story of your marriage.

A List of Questions

Divorce can be a complex process, and no one likes to have uncertainty surround such an important decision. A divorce attorney can help answer your questions and clarify the likely realities of divorce for you. Coming in with a ready list of questions makes that process even easier. With this, sitting down and writing the list can help focus your thinking and make the whole process seem more manageable.

Financial Documents

 Financial documents can help your divorce attorney get a clearer picture of exactly where you and your spouse stand financially. This can have a major impact on the divorce, as much of that proceeding focuses on determining how to divide up property. Many different types of financial documents can help your attorney.

• Tax returns provide an overview of the direction of your marriage’s money;
• Banks statements can give your attorney a fuller understanding of where you and your spouse keep your assets;
• Even pay stubs can provide valuable information about the particulars of you and your spouse’s salary.

The Story of Your Marriage

Your attorney can also benefit from a short overview of your marriage. This story can include things like basic descriptions of you and your spouse, as well as things such as assets and debts that you have. It certainly does not need to be a life story, but rather something short that can help orient your attorney and give them a general idea of your situation

If you are considering filing for divorce or have recently had divorce papers served on you, reach out to a DuPage county divorce lawyer today. Their knowledge and experience can help guide you through this complex process.