Not having tons of cash is no reason not to get divorced, especially if you are leaving an abusive marriage. However, financially, a divorce can be incredibly stressful and difficult to predict. Not only do you have to pay for the divorce, lawyer, and complications that may arise during the divorce process, your income will likely be reduced because you’ll no longer be a duel income household. If your spouse made the majority of the money, this period in time can be even more worrisome.
This isn’t all that uncommon, unfortunately. The dynamics of your financial stability will change once you get divorced, and that’s a fact. Even if your income won’t change, you’ll have one less car payment and at the very least, one less mouth to feed. If you weren’t working at the time, it’s unlikely your ex will pick up the tab like he or she has been doing. You’ll have to find other ways to make rent or pay for expenses.
One of these ways may be through spousal support. In many cases, especially if there are children involved, spousal support is something that can help you get through some of the tougher times. Most of the time, a judge must step in and determine whether spousal support is something necessary, as most of the time the two opposing parties don’t agree on whether or not it should be paid (or the amount that should be paid). At the very end of your trial, you’ll get a decision from the judge on the issue of spousal support. Until then, you will have to continue to support yourself.
In the meantime, planning ahead with some foresight may be a good idea. Making the transition to being a single person means that all of your finances need to make that transition, too. Separating your bank accounts so you know which funds are yours and which ones are your ex’s is a great place to start. Funneling some money from the joint account so that you can support yourself is essential, especially if you don’t have a job and you haven’t found a way to separate your finances completely. Any money you do withdraw or transfer to your new account is still considered marital money, so it’s still subject to division in court.
If you weren’t lucky enough to have the opportunity to plan ahead, then the battle in court is that much more important. Pay close attention to your bank account and make sure to print monthly statements so you know how much is there and how much you’re entitled to, as half of any money earned during your marriage you can keep.
If possible, plan ahead, stay informed, and keep your cool while you go through your separation and divorce.
