As a stay-at-home parent, you sacrificed a great deal to be there for your children during their formative years, knowing that you may never receive acknowledgment for what you gave up. During the divorce process, these losses may become more apparent.
You may fear divorce because you are at a financial disadvantage. However, you have options to help you prepare for the end of your marriage so you are not left helpless.
1. Request temporary alimony
One major concern may be that you cannot support yourself and your kids until the divorce proceedings are over. This especially applies if your spouse never allowed you to have access to the family savings or you were unable to accrue emergency funds of your own. You can ask for a hearing for temporary alimony to help you survive until the end of the divorce if you move out or your spouse refuses to give you financial support.
Temporary alimony is not the same as the alimony awarded after the divorce. The court may or may not award you alimony for after the divorce based on numerous factors.
2. Get a clear understanding of your financial picture
Gather relevant financial documents and make copies of them. This will help you understand your financial situation as well as spot any warning signs if your spouse attempts to conceal assets to cheat you out of your share of assets.
3. Begin establishing financial independence
Open your own bank account and develop a budget for just your and your children’s expenses. Begin searching for jobs or training opportunities. Even if you receive alimony other than temporary alimony, it probably will not last forever. You may not be able to reenter fields you studied or worked in previously because of a large work gap or not being up-to-date on current practices.
However, you can begin catching up or even start studying for a new school. Even if you do not want to immediately go back to college, there are options such as certifications and boot camps to help you learn new and relevant skills.
You may have given up a career and faced negative feedback as well as finding yourself at a financial disadvantage during a divorce, but you can make it through one. By taking steps to control your financial future, you can prepare yourself for post-divorce life.
