People in Kentucky might be more likely to get a divorce in the summer. A study by sociologists at the University of Washington looked at divorces in the state from 2001 to 2015 and found that March and August were months when divorce tended to spike. Whatever the time of year, there are steps people can take to prepare for divorce before filing.
Many people may not know exactly how many bank accounts they or their spouse owns or who is on the title of the house. It is important to have a list of all assets and other financial documents. People should also start thinking about hiring an attorney and whether they will need a financial professional. They may want to build a support team of family and friends. This is also a time to consider the implications of a divorce. Couples who are unsure as to whether they want to try to stay together or get a divorce may want to consider a type of counseling called “discernment counseling.” This is specifically aimed at couples who are ready to divorce and need to decide whether it is the right step for them.
Parents may face some additional challenges. Some experts say they should wait until divorce plans are concrete to tell children although children’s individual temperaments should be considered.
Parents should also consider what type of child custody and visitation arrangements might suit them. Parents may share custody, and in some cases, they might even agree to an arrangement in which the children stay in the home while the parents take turns living there. However, traditional shared custody or visitation arrangements are still more common. A parent who does not have custody could still be granted a substantial amount of visitation time with the children.