Life After Divorce

How Will You Live After Divorce?

One of the many challenges that makes divorce so complicated is that even while you're dealing with all the crud of the divorce process itself, you must be thinking about how you will get on with a new life for yourself and your children after divorce.

This includes your parenting plan, if you have children. And also if you have children, you've probably already started thinking about child support, whether you're going to be paying it or receiving it. It also includes figuring out what role alimony is going to play, establishing credit for yourself as a single person, and changing your role socially.

There's a handy checklist here on Divorceinfo.com for you to use after your divorce. Click here to see it.

One of the first things I recommend you do, if you haven't already done so, is to think through your budget. If you're like most people emerging from your divorce, you'll realize that what you're planning to spend is more than what you're planning to have coming in. It's painful, but you'll probably have to make some changes in the way you live, at least for the next year or two. The sooner you realize what changes are in store, the less painful those changes will be.

For women, you'll probably need to think through some of the Guy Stuff he's been doing.

After you're finished with your divorce (or maybe even while you're finishing), you may want to check out Divorce Wrap-up to begin moving on with your life. For most of us, that includes a new will. And you may even be ready to think about Dating After Divorce.

If you and your spouse are cooperative (or if money is really tight), you may be considering living together even after your divorce is effective. You may even be thinking about remarrying.