During divorce, everything is in a state of upheaval. You’re hammering out custody arrangements with your ex, meeting with your Barrie divorce lawyer and dealing with the emotions that inevitably arise when you leave a relationship—and on top of it all, you still have to work, keep your house in order and take care of kids and pets.
That’s a lot for just one person to handle, and it probably doesn’t even represent half of what you deal with daily. No one will hold it against you if the sink holds a few dirty dishes, the laundry piles up or you forget to buy dog treats. However, there’s one area that you can’t afford to neglect during your divorce: your finances.
Bills and Invoices
It’s easy to toss your incoming bills into a pile so you can deal with them later. But what if “later” never comes? Utility companies and creditors don’t usually care that you’re too busy to make a payment, so ignoring your bills and invoices will cause you big headaches later if you don’t take care of them promptly.
Keep an Eye on Credit Card Bills and Joint Accounts
You’ll need to pay special attention to credit card statements and account statements that reflect jointly held debt. Your spouse may use one of your shared lines of credit to make major purchases, and unfortunately, divorcing spouses don’t always ask if they’re about to cause you any inconvenience.
If you discover that your spouse is racking up credit card debt in your name or taking money from a shared account without checking with you, tell your Barrie divorce lawyer right away. The sooner your lawyer knows, the better; he or she may be able to stop the spending and help you recover before it’s too late.
Organization Tips
Avoiding your financial statements is a bad idea at any point in your life, but during divorce, it can cause even more problems. Working out a system that relies on organization and quick handling can make dealing with them a little less painful. You might decide to:
- Create a dedicated space for bills, financial statements and invoices. When all the incoming mail that needs your attention is always in the same place, you never have to scramble to find it before the due date. If you receive all your bills electronically, set your email preferences to flag them as “Important” and direct them to a specific folder.
- Set aside time each week (or more frequently, if necessary) to sort through your financial statements if you can’t deal with them immediately. During your divorce, it’s a good idea to deal with each bill, statement or invoice as soon as it comes in. That way, you can keep your Barrie divorce lawyer updated as necessary. That said, there are a lot of distractions in a divorcing person’s life—so it’s understandable if you hold off on dealing with your financial statements until Thursday at 7:45 p.m., for example.
Keeping Your Barrie Divorce Lawyer in the Loop
As your divorce progresses, remember that your Barrie divorce lawyer needs updates on your financial situation. Keeping your lawyer “in the loop” can ensure that your financial needs are being met according to the law, and it can also prevent your spouse from taking advantage of you financially.
