What to do After Your Divorce is Finalized
It can be easy to think that once a settlement is reached or a judge has finalized a divorce order, the whole divorce process is done. Well… it is, but it isn’t. Divorce shakes up your life in every aspect and can even have an impact on some of your usual habits. So, don’t be surprised when things aren’t completely over when the divorce agreement is finalized. There are still things you need to do before you can move forward to the next chapter in your life.
Here is what you should handle now that your divorce is finished:
- Transfer assets: Your settlement agreement might call for one person to receive or keep specific assets or debt? It is not automatically done just because the court ordered it so you will need to organize for any titles to be moved or names to be removed where required.
- Beneficiaries: Other than your estate plan, you should look at where your ex-spouse has their name. Take a look at your insurance policies, retirement pension, retirement plans, and other programs where you were required to name beneficiaries. Most likely you will want to update them to remove you now ex-spouse and instead include a trusted family member. If you don’t want to have any recipients to your assets, the state may mediate and decide where the benefits are used.
- Bank accounts: It is common for the newly married to open new bank accounts or credit card lines to share with their spouses. Well, that of course was a good idea at the moment, but now, you should make sure any joint accounts are either closed or the agreed upon spouse is removed after the divorce. Also, double check your automatic deposits and any other payments are sent to the correct accounts. These transfer errors are difficult to fix after the fact.
- Change your name: Most people choose to go back to their original name after a divorce, especially women with their maiden names. If you do decide to change your name as part of your divorce, you will have to update many accounts and official registrations. These include your driver’s license, social security information, passport, voter registration, bank account archives, retirement funds, insurance policies, and more. While you’re at it, double-check all your mailing addresses for these groups and associations as well.
This list just to show readers what they need to think about post-divorce and is not 100% comprehensive. Divorces all have different things to handle and concerns to address, including those that have to do with children and child support. Even though your divorce is settled, it may take a while for you to get used to your new life. If you are not sure what next steps you should take, your best option is to speak with an experienced family law attorney at Shaffer Family Law in Chandler. We’ll be able to help you and make sure that you make the right decisions.