This is especially tricky for stay-at-home mothers who may not have outside income, but having some money saved up will help you move forward on a better financial footing. Starting a separate account, even if you don't have much money to put in there, at first, can help get you on the right track. This will make it easier for you to have your own finances sorted out once you do leave your husband. Taking money from a joint account should be a last resort -- something you do right before you leave. If you are leaving the marital home, it is important to find a new place to live. In some cases, temporarily staying with other people can be helpful, but in the long term, you will need to find housing you can afford. This will raise some bigger questions about where you will live -- if you don't have children, it may even be relatively easy for you to move across the country to be closer to your family. Maybe you just want to try something new and want to live in a new climate. Whatever you want to do, having either a plan and a temporary place to stay or even signing a lease at another place can get you closer to your goal.  If you and your husband are really on the same page about the divorce and are comfortable enough with each other to talk about it, then you can talk about who is going to move out of the home you share together. If there are children involved, this can be an even more important question. As soon as you've made your decision, try to save money for the move, regardless of whether you're moving across town or across the country. You'll likely find yourself on a stricter budget after you leave. Throughout a marriage, you will accumulate many important documents such as paperwork pertaining to your mortgage, vehicle and retirement plans, among others. Make sure you have a copy of these documents since the property in question could be an issue in the divorce.  If you see many documents that you're sure if you'll need, then you should make a copy of those just in case they end up being important. It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to getting your paperwork together. If you really want to make thorough copies of everything, then you may want to hire a professional to make a copy of your home computer's hard drive and even to take photos of certain valuable belongings. This can help you in the future if some money goes "missing" during your settlement. If you and your husband have children together, then it's important to figure out what's best for them. Do you think your husband is a great (or at least decent) father who will be involved in his children's lives, or do you have reasons to believe your children should have nothing to do with him? This will be one of the biggest decisions you make throughout the process.  Just keep in mind that you can't just decide your children shouldn't see your husband because you don't want to see him anymore. There should be a good reason (like alcohol abuse) to keep him away from his kids. You should make this decision with an even head, because it will determine many things, such as, potentially, the place where you live, as well as your children's futures. A divorce is costly and time consuming, so you may wish to shop around for a price you can afford, especially if you think it will be a drawn out process. Though you may be tempted to save money and to do this yourself, the right lawyer can really help you make the process easier and less painful. You don't want to end up getting embroiled in a financial mess you don't know how to fix just because you didn't want to spend money on a lawyer. If you really don't have the budget for this, then you can consider hiring a paralegal. If you're doing incredibly well financially already, then this is definitely a bonus, but it's important to consider the budget you'll have after you leave your husband. It's important to ask yourself these questions before you walk out the door so you don't feel stumped when the time comes. Unfortunately, studies show that many women have to deal with a 1/4th or even a 1/3rd drop in their standard of living after a divorce; however, don't let this discourage you! If you make a solid plan, you'll work through it. Here are some things you'll have to figure out:  What new expenses will you take on? Where will you cut back? How much more will child care cost (if you have children)? How will you earn the income that you need? Alimony or child support could definitely be a part of your future income, but in today's economy, it may not be a guarantee. If you're certain that your husband will pay reliably, that's one thing, but you have to ask yourself if you can really count on your husband. This can get even trickier if you're the main breadwinner, because then you will be the one paying alimony. If you don't have a credit record apart from your spouse, then it's important to get one as soon as you can. You can start by getting a copy of your credit report; you can get at least one free copy a year from each of the three bureaus at AnnoualCreditReport.com. Check it out and look for errors. Then, begin to build your own credit by making wise purchases, making payments on time, and being thoughtful in your money-management. You may think that you have a strong credit record just because your husband does, but this may not be the case if you have not been very involved in the financial aspect of your lives. After you have a better sense of the budget you need to live on, then you have to think about whether or not you need to boost your income to cover it. If you have a well-paying job and plenty of savings, then great -- but if you need to get a job and have spent time out of the work force, or if you need a higher-paying job, then you'll need to make moves in that direction. This doesn't mean you should become CEO of a new company before you leave your husband, but you can make some moves to make it easier to boost your income once you do leave. Here are some things you can do:  Take classes that help you specialize in necessary skills for getting the work you want, whether you need to brush up on your computer skills or to get certified in a specialized form of training. Buy a new suit so you are interview ready when the time comes. Get your resume in order. You don't have to send it out before you leave your husband, but you should have it on hand when the time comes. Once you leave, you are likely to feel even more overwhelmed, and you may not have the time or mental strength to do something like update your resume.
قومي بفتح حساب منفصل في البنك. جدي مكانـًا تعيشين فيه. اجمعي أوراقك. ضعي خطة من أجل أطفالكِ (إذا كان لديكما أطفال). تواصلي مع محامٍ. ابدئي في التخطيط لميزانيتكِ بعد الطلاق. لا تعتمدي على نفقة الزوج. قومي بعمل جدول لالتزاماتك المادية. خططي لزيادة دخلكِ.