7 Must-Know Aspects Before Filing for Divorce

Planning to take a Divorce? Or know somebody who is planning to take a Divorce ? Then this article aims to tell you seven key aspects that you must take into consideration before filing your divorce petition under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Related Post: How to file for Divorce: step by step procedure

7 Key Aspects you must take care before filing for divorce

1. Property :

If you and your spouse jointly own properties and you are planning to file for a divorce then you should mutually divide the shares in the properties or decide what can be done before filing for divorce in the family court, you can opt for the following options as well:

a. Sell and move out:

Sell the property and share the proceeds based on individual equity. If you have an outstanding loan on the property, that will have to be first paid off or deducted from the proceeds.

b. House retained by one spouse:

If one of you is going to retain the property, the person who retains it can buy out the other person's share based on its market value.

c. House remains a joint property:

Deferring the sale/transfer of property held jointly makes financial sense if you want to minimize the tax implications and benefit from any appreciation. Have the liabilities and claims properly drafted in your separation agreement related to the joint properties you own.

Related Post: Division of your property on Divorce

2. Bank:

If you both jointly own a bank account, then before filing for divorce you should separate your bank accounts, or else you should get an order from the court to freeze the bank account so that it cannot be operated while the proceedings in the court are going or the parties achieve any settlement. If any loan or EMI is paid through the joint accounts then the money should be divided taking the interest paid into consideration.

3. Child Custody:

If you and your spouse have children then if the child is below 12 years of age the child's custody is usually given to the mother whereas you and your spouse can mutually decide who will have the custody and if not then the court will decide on the determining factor which is : & lsquo the first and paramount consideration is the welfare and interest of the child and not the rights of the parents under a legal act' & lsquo gender equality is one of the basic principles of our Constitution, and, therefore, the father because of a dominant personality cannot be ascribed to have a preferential right over the mother in the matter of guardianship since both fall within the same category & lsquo Since the mother is the preferred custodial parent when the child is of tender age, a non-working mother will not be disqualified and the earning father will be asked to provide child support. Once a child attains a discernible age, custody, and access issues are decided as per her/his wishes, and the belief that the father will have uncontested right is wrong and displaced.

Related Post: Child Custody Rights in a Divorce

4. Alimony:

Alimony is a type of monetary compensation granted to the spouse who is unable to support himself/herself by the other spouse during or after the divorce proceeding. You and your spouse can mutually decide on the alimony and if you both disagree then you can take the matter for mediation and conciliation (is a method of outside court settlement) and thereafter to the court to get the desired outcome.

The following parameters are taken into consideration while determining the alimony :

• If the Wife is earning: The Court looks into the husband's financial status. If his income is very high, the wife will get some alimony.

• If the Wife is not earning: The wife will get alimony that allows her to maintain a standard of living that is similar to that of her husband.

• If the Wife remarries: The wife will not get anything. The husband will have to continue to pay for children if any.

• If the Husband is disabled and unable to earn: The wife can be asked to pay alimony.

Related Post: Alimony and Maintenance under Indian Law

5. Investments:

If you and your spouse have bought jointly owned assets and funds from the securities market then you can sell the assets and funds or you can wait for the funds to yield to get positive turnouts and if you both can't agree on the same point then you can go for a court settlement.

Some factors to be taken into consideration by the court while determining are:

• The period of the marriage.

• The income or property brought into the marriage by each spouse.

• The standard of living is established during the marriage.

• The age and physical/emotional health of each spouse.

• The income and earning potential of each spouse.

• The financial situation of each spouse when the divorce is finalized.

• The contribution of a spouse to the education, training, or earning power of the other.

• The needs of the custodial parent to maintain the lifestyle of the children.

6. Documentation:

After arriving at an understanding of how to share assets, liabilities and parental responsibilities put everything in black and white. You will have to inform the court about the settlement while applying for a divorce.

Documents required for filing a divorce petition:

• Marriage certificate.

• Address proof of husband.

• Address proof of wife.

• Address proof of matrimonial house.

• Salary Slips of the spouses who are working.

• Bank account details

• Documents of properties, assets, and investments owned jointly by the spouses.

• Other evidence or medical certificates as per the ground on which the divorce is filed.

7. Consult a lawyer:

Schedule a consultation with an expert divorce lawyer . So that you can discuss all situations and circumstances and look out for desired outcomes through the process. Even if you end up representing yourself, a one-hour consultation with a lawyer will help you prepare better. Here are some tips before you fix your consultation: - Make a list of goals and desired outcomes and discuss it. - Keep all your documentation of your assets and debts bought jointly. - Prepare your questions list that is specific to your situation and ask the lawyer.

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How can a Lawyer help you?

Divorce is a stressful time for everyone involved. Hiring an attorney to complete a divorce is one way to reduce the stress of the divorce. While the attorney will need to gather information from you regarding the case, he or she will also take care of all the paperwork, allowing you more time to take care of yourself and your family. An experienced divorce attorney can give you expert advice on how to handle your divorce owing to his years of experience in handling such cases. You can also use LawRato's Free Legal Advice service to get free advice on your case from expert divorce/matrimonial lawyers. A divorce lawyer is an expert on the laws and can help you avoid significant mistakes that may cause financial harm or will require future legal proceedings to correct. Thus, by hiring an attorney a person can make sure that he can avoid delay and get the divorce completed as quickly as possible. Get a hassle-free divorce with LawRato's Divorce Service. This service includes everything from consultation with leading Divorce Lawyers to obtaining a Divorce Decree from the court.

Advocate Chikirsha Mohanty

Greater Kailash - 1, Delhi
5 years

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