Moving On After Divorce

Recently divorced couples can find it challenging to buy a new home post divorce, simply due to the intertwined nature of most married couples’ finances. If you’re ready to strike out on your own with a new home purchase, there are several factors to keep in mind. Karen Ann Ulmer, P.C., can be an asset when it comes to managing various elements of divorce, child custody issues, and family law.

Selling Your Property

According to It’s Over Easy, selling a home and dividing assets prior to a divorce is sometimes a prudent move. A division of assets is likely part of your divorce settlement, and as such, you may have proceeds from one house to invest in a new home in the form of a down payment. You want to ensure your current deal is closed and the money deposited in your bank prior to putting a bid in on a new property. Some fluctuations in divorce proceedings and final asset disposition can take unexpected turns, so you want to ensure everything is finalized before moving forward.

Assessing Your Finances

Once your divorce is settled, and your assets divided, you can better assess how much of a new home you can afford. A mortgage lender will look at your annual income, your credit, the amount of money you have available for a down payment, your monthly expenses, and then help you determine your best options. According to Bankrate, you’ll want to explore several different loan options before identifying the one that best meets your needs. Much will depend on the current average APR. Remember, you don’t want to overextend yourself, and if you’re paying for a home on your own, you may want to find something smaller than what you jointly owned with your previous spouse.

Finding The Perfect Home

Getting settled into a new residence is a healing move that can help you embrace your new independent life. In addition to cost, give careful consideration as to the size and location of the homes you look at. You may decide to stay close to your former spouse if you share children, or stay in a particular geographic region if your children are in a school district you want them to maintain. You can start your search online, and a qualified real estate agent can help you narrow the focus, tour properties of interest, and make an appropriate offer.

While divorce marks the end of one part of your life, it also opens the doors to new opportunities and the chance to gain independence and embrace a new way of living. Allow yourself time to get settled into your new home, make it uniquely yours, and embark on your next phase of life.

Karen Ann Ulmer, P.C. is home to experienced attorneys who handle divorce and child custody, wills and probate, real estate, law, and other complex legal problems. Visit the site today to learn more and reach out via email or phone for a confidential consultation.

Moving on after divorce
Photo by Pixabay
by

The Best Way to Work With Your Divorce Attorney

A divorce attorney will help you start your post-marriage life. Whether you’re facing a difficult time because your spouse wants revenge or your split will be amicable, there are some rules for successfully working with your attorney no matter your situation. Here in our Langhorne office, we help clients in Bucks and Montgomery counties successfully divorce by establishing an excellent working relationship.  

Tell Her Everything

You can’t keep secrets and expect effective representation. Your attorney can only properly prepare your case when she knows everything about your marriage, even the things you don’t like to tell yourself. It could be tax evasion, physical and emotional abuse, or extramarital affairs. Surprise is the last thing an attorney wants to feel in the middle of a divorce case.

Have Your Finances in Order (or the Paperwork at Least)

Whether you’re a financial whiz, completely reliant on your spouse to manage your finances, or somewhere in between, you must find all the details of your marital, financial life. Your assets and debts will be divided as part of your divorce. We need to know what the two of you have before it can be fairly split. If you don’t fully grasp all the financial issues in your life, you must get documentation of all that’s going on. After we get that, we can help you piece everything together.

Know Your Goals – Keep Your Pension, the Beach House?

Your divorce is unique. It’s driven by the facts, the law, and what you and your spouse agree upon. You could go to trial over who gets what and how much. But the vast majority of cases end with a settlement agreement. Before negotiating, we must know what’s important to you and what your priorities are. What are the needs you must have? What are the wants you’re willing to sacrifice?

Be Realistic. Both Parents Have Rights to Time With Their Kids. They Have the Right to a Relationship with Both Parents.

Unless your spouse has serious problems with violence, mental health, or drug abuse, they will at least have time with your kids if not share custody with you. If you think spending time with your spouse isn’t in your children’s best interests, you need strong, compelling evidence to win the issues. Barring that, both parents must compromise and make your post-marriage family relationships work.

Put Other Support in Place

Divorce is often highly stressful and emotional. The expected lifelong relationship is ending. Your financial health may be at risk, and your children don’t understand what’s going on. If you have supportive, helpful friends and family members, rely on them. Professional emotional help can also be a crucial part of the support system for you and your kids. Don’t go through this alone.

Get the Help You Need From an Attorney You Can Trust

Contact Karen Ann Ulmer, PC, if you have questions or need representation. Call our office at (215) 608-1867 to schedule a consultation. We can speak over the phone, via teleconference, or meet in our Doylestown or Langhorne office.

by