Post-Divorce 101: What to Do When It’s Done

Post-Divorce 101: What to Do When It’s Done

The primary goal of divorce is to no longer be legally wed to someone you wed legally. Once the court battle is finished and attorneys are paid, most people think the whole process is over and they can forget about what’s-his/her-name forever. While the last part might be true, divorced couples should remember that there’s still a bit of legal homework to be done by both parties after their divorce decree is presented to them.

“The most important thing people should do after they receive their divorce decree is take the time to actually read through the whole thing. People assume they know what it says and set it aside on their way to celebrating their independence. This would be a mistake on their part, as they need to read it to ensure it contains no mistakes,” said Norman Green, Senior Partner at Green & Metcalf of Vero Beach, FL.

In addition to reading a divorce decree for mistakes, it also includes certain obligations for each former spouse, which should be carefully reviewed and written down by both people. Any inaccuracies noticed by either party should be reported to their divorce attorney, who can address corrections. Along with following through on legal obligations, divorced couples also need to update any legal documents that reference their former spouse such as wills, emergency contact information, mortgages, bank accounts, tax documents and insurance policies.

“Divorce is difficult for anyone, but what’s worse is finding out years later just how important the paperwork was that you didn’t complete many years before, which could then create new issues potentially lasting for years to come,” Green said.

Norman A. Green is the founder and a partner of Green & Metcalf - Attorneys At Law. He has over 40 years of experience in the practice fields of criminal defense and family law (divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, modifications of existing orders, prenuptial agreements and alimony cases).