Start Saving Money
You’ll need a cash cushion for rent/mortgage, utilities, and essentials. Courts can issue temporary support orders, but hearings can take weeks.
Tip: Open a separate bank account in your name to build savings and maintain independence.

Gather Financial and Legal Information
Collect bank statements, tax returns, pay stubs, loan applications, retirement and investment statements, and credit card balances. You’ll exchange financial info after filing, so being organized speeds everything up.
Tip: Keep digital and paper copies in a secure place your spouse cannot access.

Plan for Parenting and Family Relationships
If co-parenting is tense, consider a parenting coach/coordinator to reduce conflict and improve communication. Draft a schedule that protects your children’s routines.
Tip: Write a proposed parenting plan before mediation or court.

Find a Divorce Attorney
A skilled, responsive local attorney protects your rights in contested cases and streamlines amicable ones.
Tip: Meet more than one attorney and choose someone who explains options clearly and aligns with your goals.

Create a Budget
Expect income and expenses to change. A post-divorce budget helps set realistic expectations and informs negotiations.
Tip: Track every expense for at least three months to calculate accurate support needs.

Build a Support System
Lean on trusted friends/family and consider counseling or a support group. DivorceCare is a helpful resource.
Tip: Identify one or two people you can call when overwhelmed, and schedule regular check-ins.
Resource: DivorceCare (https://www.divorcecare.org)

Review Your Credit
Pull your credit report, fix errors, and monitor joint accounts. Close or separate joint credit where appropriate.
Tip: Consider a temporary credit freeze if you’re worried about new accounts being opened in your name.

Secure Your Communication
Use a PO box for privacy and a dedicated email for case-related communication.
Tip: Use strong passwords and a password manager for sensitive communications with your attorney.

Protect Important Accounts
List all checking/savings, investment, and retirement accounts with balances and login info.
Tip: Change online passwords and remove your spouse’s access where appropriate—ask your attorney before moving large sums.

Educate Yourself About Massachusetts Divorce Basics
Learn the steps: residency, filing, financial disclosures, temporary orders, and final agreements or trial.
Tip: The Massachusetts Court System website has helpful public resources and forms.

Review Health Insurance Coverage
If you’re on your spouse’s plan, explore COBRA or alternative coverage to avoid gaps.
Tip: Ask your employer or an insurance broker about options and keep documentation for court if support is at issue.

Protect Your Digital Accounts and Privacy
Change passwords for email, banking, cloud storage, and social media. Separate shared devices or create new user accounts.
Tip: Enable two-factor authentication on all critical accounts.

Understand Property Division
Massachusetts uses equitable distribution (fair, not necessarily equal). Identify marital vs. separate property.
Tip: Make a complete list of assets and debts, including anything co-owned with a family member.

Consider Tax Implications
Divorce can affect filing status, deductions, and how support and transfers are treated.
Tip: Consult a tax professional before finalizing agreements.

Make a Housing Plan
Decide where you’ll live during and after the process—staying in the marital home isn’t always practical.
Tip: Courts consider stability when addressing custody and parenting time.

Update Estate Planning
Review wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and beneficiary designations. Some changes may need to wait until the divorce is final.
Tip: Ask your attorney what you can update now versus after the judgment.

Prioritize Your Emotional Health
Divorce is demanding. Counseling, exercise, journaling, and mindfulness can help you make sound decisions.
Tip: Proactive mental-health care reflects well in parenting matters and improves outcomes.

Learn About Mediation and Other Alternatives
Mediation, collaborative divorce, and arbitration can be private, faster, and less expensive than litigation.
Tip: Mediation is especially helpful for parents who want to reduce conflict and preserve healthy co-parenting.