Learn how to prepare & make the most of your first divorce meeting.
Your divorce attorney consultation can help you prepare for a divorce. But how do you prepare for the consultation?
💡We’ll tell you! Don’t miss these 4 tips below 👇
Prepare your financial picture
Share detailed financial information with your lawyer for a clearer picture of your situation.
Prep yourself to discuss these topics –
💰 What are your ASSETS? 👉 What is the value of your savings and checking accounts, retirement accounts, and property? Do you know where they are?
💰 What are your DEBTS? 👉 What is the balance on your mortgage(s), loans, & credit cards?
💰 What do you and your spouse each earn per year? How is it calculated and measured (IE salary, bonus, commission, options?)
💰 Anything else can you share about your financial background? Possible future inheritances, legal judgments for or against you.. etc?? Anything related is helpful.
📣 Don’t worry if you don’t have it all! We promise, it’s ok. You lawyer doesn’t need every shred of info to get going. You’re better off getting started instead of waiting for everything to be perfect. 📣
Discuss your children
Prepare to describe the life and details of your minor kids (under 18yo.)
Answer questions like → How many kids do you have? Ages? Where do they live? Do you want custody? Are you willing to share custody? Are there safety or mental health concerns? What is important to you as it relates to your children?
🔥 Pro Tip – Focus on what’s best for your kids—not you or your ex. This will be a common theme throughout the process.
Describe your current status
Your lawyer wants to know all about you. Organize yourself so you’re ready to answer these questions –
- What is your household income? How is it calculated?
- Where do you live? Do you live together in the same home?
- Do you have kids? What are your costs for childcare, tuition, and kid activities?
- Who contributes to the household? In money? In labor/energy? For how long?
- What are your recurring monthly expenses?
- Do you have a prenup or postnup?
- What are your goals for this divorce?
✅ Prepare yourself, your notes, and your details to clearly and concisely answer these key questions for your lawyer.
Practice sharing personal information clearly & honestly
Divorce is hard. It’s personal, emotional, complex, and completely unique.
Practice answering these questions with a friend or role-play in front of a mirror. (It may feel silly but it will make you clearer & more confident, we promise!)
- What’s the “who-what-when-where-why” of the divorce?
- What are your values and goals for this divorce? Get focused on what’s important to YOU.
- What is prompting this divorce? Who is initiating it?
- Is safety a concern? Was there marital violence? Negligence? Abuse? Mental health issues?
- How likely is it that you and your spouse can and will work collaboratively?
- Are you concerned about hidden assets or the trustworthiness of your spouse?
- What do you need to get through this?
- If in 10 years you look back and say “that went as well as it could,” what happened? Or didn’t?
🔥 Pro Tip → Honesty and transparency is key.
TLDR:
✅ Bring notes (paper, laptop, tablet) – Whatever you need to feel comfortable and prepared.
✅ Bring supporting docs (bank statements, childcare bills, mortgage statements, etc) if you have them available.
✅ Be honest and clear.
✅ Give yourself time and space.
✅ Check out 💡 Our Ultimate Divorce Guide 💡 to get you started!
You’ve got this. You are strong, you are wise, you are confident. We’re with you every step of the way.
