People who are in the process of filing for divorce tend to be extremely overtaken with stress during the situation and have a tendency to not be fully prepared for all of the things they will need to have ready.  This article will give you a strong insight to the documents and facts that you will need to gather to ensure that the process of filing for divorce goes as smoothly as possible.  We're going to look into each of the things to prepare before filing for divorce.  After you take all of this in you should be able to work on the checklist and gather the necessary items as soon as possible to ensure everything will go well.

1.  Make an itemized list of all items that you individually own.  If you have any form of property that is specifically yours you will need to make note of it.  Make sure you keep this list current and up-to-date.

2.  Keep track of items that are purchased jointly as part of the marriage.  These items will come into play when it needs to be determined how to distribute the assets.  Try the best you can to make this list accurate to be sure that it will match up to your spouse’s as closely as possible.  When things are incorrect it slows down the process causes delays in the divorce process.

3.  Keep track of your current personal and joint marital debt.  This will usually consist of credit card debt as well as any loans, mortgages, etc.  Bring this list when you meet with your attorney as they will know how to handle it the best.  If you have any property that you are unsure of place it on a separate list and discuss these pieces with your attorney.

4.  When you file for divorce, it is very important that you call your credit card companies to put a hold on your credit cards.  This is a protective measure to prevent your spouse from charging on them and complicating the situation.  Most times the credit card companies have seen this situation before and know how to handle it.  They will also usually issue you and your spouse new, separate cards.

5.  Do not make agreements with your spouse, whether written or verbal, without consulting your attorney first.  This will prevent problems if you mistakenly agree to something that you do not really want in the long run.  Keep in mind that your attorney will probably know how to handle this situation better then you do and will act better based on knowledge and experience.

Once you have compiled the above items you are ready to contact your attorney.  By doing this ahead of time you will save countless hours of consultation time.  This means that you will not be billed for spending time with your attorney that you would have been able to avoid and handle on your own.