Filing for Divorce in Chicago – Am I ready to file?

By M; Scott Gordon

Thinking about divorce? Let alone taking the initial steps to file can be difficult and anxiety-inducing. How can you know if you’re ready to file for divorce? And if you decide that dissolving your marriage is the right course of action for you, how do you go about filing for divorce?

According to a recent article from World of Psychology, there are some important questions you should consider before making the final decision to file for divorce. It’s only after you’re psychologically prepared for ending your relationship with your spouse that you should begin taking the necessary financial, social, and legal steps to dissolve your marriage.

Key Questions to Ask Before Filing for Divorce

Are you really ready to file for divorce? Reaching the decision to dissolve a marriage often involves some of the most difficult choices any of us will have to make. Family therapists and psychologists often agree that you should ask yourself some of the following questions before deciding whether divorce is the right option for you:

Are you making a decision based on your ego or your temporary feelings? In some cases, a spouse will have an extramarital affair or will engage in a behavior that upsets the other spouse. In such cases, one spouse tends to leave the other spouse with a bruised ego and feelings of intense anger and sadness. However, it’s important to keep perspective in these situations, particularly when you’re in a relationship with children and limited finances. Is divorce really the right choice in the long run? It may very well be the right decision, but don’t jump to filing for divorce without thinking through the repercussions.

Are you only filing for divorce because your spouse wants to end the marriage? Illinois encourages couples to reconcile if possible, and it’s important to think about whether there’s a possibility for you and your spouse to make the marriage work. However, it’s also important that you don’t feel victimized by the marriage and that you don’t feel helpless in your legal situation. If your spouse won’t consider any options but divorce, you should hire your own family law attorney who can advocate for your rights.

Are you actually ready for all of the logistics of divorce, or are you simply threatening divorce in order to change the nature of your marriage? When couples divorce, they often don’t realize the social and economic consequences. If you’re not serious about dealing with possibly less income and complicated social relations, you may want to reconsider filing for divorce (at least immediately).

Do you have the social and psychological support you’ll need to deal with the emotional repercussions of divorce? Filing for divorce is a stressful process, and many clients feel a deep sense of loss. Do you have a strong support network to help you through this time? Have you talked through your plans with a therapist? It’s important to have an emotional plan in place before you file for divorce.

Taking Steps to File for Divorce

Once you’ve made the decision to file for divorce, you’ll need to make sure you have all of the proper documents ready. What documents do I need? That’s where an attorney comes in: you should contact an experienced Chicago divorce lawyer who can discuss the steps you’ll need to take in actually filing and serving your forms.

Contact the law offices of Gordon & Perlut, LLC today to learn more about how we can assist you as you move forward with your divorce.