A divorce in Texas or anywhere else, is definitely life-changing. It could be a major turning point in your life. The result of the divorce might make you feel like you’ve won or lost, but regardless of that, you will have to cope along with your family members.
There are many legalities you and your family will have to deal with before you can properly start a new life after your divorce. You will have to discuss these things with your family members too.
Changing your Name
Even before you started the process of your divorce in Texas, you might have thought about keeping or discarding your last name. Of course, this typically only applies when you’re a woman.
Your decision about changing your name should be included in the documents that your attorney will submit for the divorce. The request to revert back to your maiden name is usually included in the Original Petition for Divorce.
Even if you’re not the one who initially filed for divorce, you can always file a counter-petition to request for the name change. It’s also possible to request for a name change for children who are minors but it is not a common practice.
Change of Address
This is another change that you’d have to deal with after your divorce. You or your spouse will have to leave your marital home or both of you will have to leave to live separately (in case you sell your home). This is a huge change that you will have to adjust to – but it’s even more challenging for the children to deal with.
It is also important that your children get the support that they need. They should feel secure despite having to move to another house. What you can do is to talk to them about the new adjustments that everybody has to make. Making them understand is crucial.
If you are the non-custodial parent and you only have visitation rights, it is important to let the children visit your new place as soon as possible so that they can get used to it quickly.
It might take some time before the children can adjust to the new changes.
Changes in Accounts and Finances
This is one thing that might not feel relevant just after your divorce but it is one of the most important matters you’d have to consider. Usually, when a divorce is finalized, the judge will issue a decision regarding the division of debts and assets or you and your ex-spouse would have reached an agreement before it’s all over.
Many people have separate accounts that are only in one spouses name, and most people think that those accounts are ‘safe’ from being assigned to the other spouse but actually these can be categorized as community property just the same as accounts in both spouses name. These shared accounts are likely to be divided by the judge as well.
You need to secure all the information you might possibly need to access the accounts that are awarded to you. This can include login information. You will also have to check the contents of the accounts and bring any issues up before the finalization of the divorce. Once everything is finalized, you have to make sure that you change the login information and that only you know about it. Your ex-spouse should never be able to access your accounts either legally or illegally.
Dealing with the Changes
It’s impossible to evade the changes that is brought along by your divorce in Texas. The process of getting a divorce may be quite similar for everyone, but what differs is every individual’s way of dealing with the aftermath of the divorce. Your children are probably facing the worst of it right now. Often, the best way to get through it all is to face your divorce head on.
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