When you got married, you probably didn’t plan on divorce. However, divorce is more common in American marriages, and many people are navigating ways to find a better way of life, just as you are now. Life after a divorce may not seem easy at first, but you can get through it by following the right steps to protect yourself. Here are a few ways that you can continue to live a better way of life after saying goodbye to your partner.
Discuss Your Finances With a Professional
What was your financial situation like with your partner? Are fights about money, the cause for your divorce? If so, don’t feel ashamed, as financial problems have been named as the number one cause of why many people have decided to part ways after getting married. So make sure you thoroughly go over all your documentation, accounts, and investments to ensure you’re aware of what your financial situation is as you go through a divorce.
If things are looking dire, don’t be afraid to contact a bankruptcy law firm. There are two types of bankruptcy you can apply for, such as Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. The type of bankruptcy that you can qualify for depends on your situation and how you plan to pay back your responsibility. One type of bankruptcy will allow you to keep your home. However, another type of bankruptcy will require you to liquidate all or most of your assets to quickly pay back your creditors. A bankruptcy law firm can help you be aware of your rights in this situation so you can agree to the plan that is best for you and continue to live a better way of life post-divorce.
Even if your situation isn’t harsh enough to lead to bankruptcy, you still have to make some financial adjustments. After all, in a divorce, you may have been dealing with two incomes. Maybe you were the breadwinner and you had to take care of your spouse. Regardless of your situation, there are adjustments you must become accustomed to, especially if there are children involved. If you were the breadwinner, you may have to pay alimony. If there are child support issues, you may have to seek or pay out child support.
Determine What You Need to Plan With Your Estate
During your marriage, did you create a will or a trust that included your spouse? After a divorce, you’ll have to make adjustments if case your spouse is your next of kin. If you still have a good relationship with your former spouse, you may want to leave them something in your estate. However, to ensure that any property or money you have doesn’t go to them but at least go to your children, make sure you contact local estate planning attorneys immediately.
If you had to sell the house that you shared during marriage, that’s something you also have to consider when it comes to your estate planning. If the house that you previously owned was included in that particular document, adjust things by removing it and adding any new home you plan to buy as you create a better way of life after your breakup.
Create a Plan for Your Retirement
Do you have any retirement plans? If not, creating a better way of life for yourself involves dealing with how you plan to live as you age and are no longer in your working years. When it comes to a breakup, especially in your later years, you have to readjust your plans for aging in place. Maybe you planned on staying in a home that you shared with your spouse until you both passed on. In the event of a divorce, that will no longer be the case, so you may have to either look into a new home to age in place or look at different retirement homes.
If you’re a senior or close to senior age during your divorce, you may want to consider an assisted living facility or a senior apartment. Your level of independence can determine the type of senior facility that is best for you and your needs. By being in senior apartments, you would at least be around other people within your age group and have access to services and amenities that are specially made for you. If you have adult children, you may be in a situation where you can move closer to them, or they may even have a mother or father-in-law suite for you.
Planning for retirement also includes dealing with your finances. Who was the beneficiary on any of your retirement plans or bank accounts? Make sure you update that to where your now ex-spouse is no longer the main beneficiary. To add to a better way of life, you may also want to invest more. If you have the funds, you may want to look into more annuities, extra life insurance, or even invest in day trading. If you have real estate, you may want to liquidate those assets so you can have access to more funds. Consider renting out those spaces to create additional income or buy property in upcoming areas that could be part of your portfolio.
Ensure That You’ve Roadside Assistance for Emergencies
Driving on the road can be just as dangerous as ever. However, you no longer have your spouse to call any event of an auto emergency. If you haven’t already done so, make sure you have access to roadside assistance services. These services come in handy in case you ever get stuck on the road, especially late at night or in an area that you’re unfamiliar with. You can sign up for these services for a minimum amount per month. Add an app to your phone for quick service.
Rent a Dumpster for Your Clutter at Home
When it comes to a better way of life, it’s best to start decluttering your home of anything you no longer need. Life after a divorce means dealing with memories that may be hard to come to terms with. You may have old furniture dating back to when you and your spouse first got together. There may be clothes from your first date that may have been sentimental at one time, but you no longer can fit. There may be gifts from them that you may or may not want to keep because it may be too painful as a reminder of the life that you once led with them. The reality is your space is emptier now since you’re living on your own and away from your spouse. One of the best ways to handle this situation is to go through those items and see what you need and what you can give away.
Call your local dumpster rental service to get rid of things that are trash. See if they can also handle recycling for you so you don’t get rid of items that are useful to someone else. Are there any local charities or church organizations that can take on gently used items to benefit a needy person or household? Contacting these organizations is a great way to ensure your items can help someone who needs them, even though you’ve gone through a painful divorce. In other words, your old items can go on to create a better way of life for someone else.
Hire Professionals to Thoroughly Clean Your Home
Once you’ve given away items you no longer need and have thrown out junk, it’s time to give your house a refresh. Start by hiring professional house cleaning services to clean your home from top to bottom. These professionals will cover every nook and cranny with a rag or duster to ensure that it’s properly sanitized and germ-free.If you have a carpet, they can deep clean and remove lingering stains. They can polish and wax your hardwood floors and have them shining like new. Some can also clean your furniture upholstery to have them look smell factory fresh. Coming back to an emptier house won’t feel so bad when it looks and smells brand new.
Update Your Fence
You want to protect your home as much as possible. A good way to do that is by having a quality fence that can keep out intruders and stray animals. You may want a chain link fence company on hand that can build up a fence to keep out your neighbor, stray dogs, or other animals that may want to invade your garden. Consider a high wooden fence that can help keep out noise pollution while keeping your privacy intact.
Treat Yourself to Some Beautiful Flowers Regularly
The days after your divorce will continue to be an adjustment for a while. Quite frankly, some of those days may be better than others. If you were with your spouse for a long time, days such as the holiday season, birthdays, and anniversaries may leave you feeling sad or emotional in a way that you may not always expect. So treat yourself and give yourself the love you deserve. A great way to do that is by sending yourself some beautiful flowers. Contact your local florist so you can keep regular floral centerpieces in your home. There’s nothing like waking up to beautiful gardenias, roses, dahlias, or lavender on your table. Flowers not only look beautiful, but they smell great and are known for making people feel happier, especially when they’re sad or sick.
Work With Professionals on Your Landscaping
A better way of life should include spending time in nature. Luckily, nature can be right outside your front or back door, so invest in a local landscaping service that can keep your lawn up to date. Imagine the feeling of walking outside to see lush green grass and smell it freshly cut every week or two. Landscapers can not only handle your lawn mowing for you, but they also know how to apply the right fertilizer based on the type of grass you have and other vegetation. If you enjoy gardening, leave it to them to remove any weeds from your property and use the right fertilizer and other techniques to prevent any more weeds from sprouting up.
Some landscapers also specialize in hardscaping services like walkways, retaining walls, decks, and patios. Something as simple as a well-planned walkway from your front door to your driveway or back door can make your home look welcoming and like something from a storybook.
Remove Any Dangerous Trees Before Selling Your Home
Be mindful of the type of trees you have on your property whether you plan on staying in your home or selling it. It may be necessary to remove certain trees for your safety as well as your property value. A tree that’s too close to your home can easily fall upon it, especially during bad weather. If some trees have overgrown branches that have gotten out of control, these branches may have also been susceptible to illness that has spread to the rest of the tree. If you have a tree that’s been overwhelmed with illness, it may need to be removed before it makes other trees sick.
What about overgrown roots? Did you know that overgrown tree roots could not only uplift your home foundation but could puncture your septic tank and create a health hazard? So if you haven’t already done so, have local tree services professionals on speed dial to handle the situation immediately, especially if you’re ready to put your home on the market after your divorce.
Divorce is hard, but it’s not the end of the road when it comes to your life. You can continue to live a better way of life by taking care of yourself, managing your finances, and taking care of your property. You may even get to the point where you can be friends with your spouse if you haven’t already done so. Just make sure you take care of yourself mentally and physically so you can continue to grow and prosper after your divorce has been settled.
