Important Things to Consider After Your Illinois Divorce Is Finalized

 Posted on August 30, 2021 in Divorce

Going through a divorce in Illinois is not easy and can take a long time to complete. If you are in the final stages of the divorce process, you may want to breathe a sigh of relief. You soon will not have to attend meetings with your lawyer or court dates. However, there are still several things you may have to complete to move on with your life.

What You Should Do After Your Divorce is Finalized

The major obstacles are over in your divorce, but you still may have some finishing touches to take care of. Here are a few steps to take after your divorce is finalized.

• Change your name. Many women go back to their maiden name after getting divorced. If this is what you want to do, you must update your driver’s license, social security card, insurance policies, and other documents that include your full name.

• Look into health coverage. If you relied on your spouse for health insurance during your marriage, it is a good idea to look into different policies soon. You will no longer be eligible for coverage under your spouse’s plan. Even if you are healthy right now, you never know if you will develop a sudden illness or get into an accident. You want to have adequate health coverage in case anything happens.

• Update your estate plan. If you and your spouse established an estate plan with one another, it is time to update it. Otherwise, your spouse could still receive all of your assets if you should die suddenly. In addition, if you have a living will, you may want to remove your spouse from it so that he or she cannot make medical decisions on your behalf. You may want to list another family member as your healthcare power of attorney.

• Separate your finances. If you and your spouse have mutual financial accounts, such as checking accounts and credit card accounts, it is important to close them once your divorce is finalized. Then, you can create your own financial accounts that just have your name on them.

Contact a Kane County Divorce Lawyer

The divorce process can be complicated and overwhelming. Do not hesitate to reach out to an Aurora, IL divorce attorney for assistance. At Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C., we understand how difficult this process can be and want to guide you every step of the way. Call us 630-409-8184 to schedule a confidential consultation.

Source:

https://www.plannersearch.org/financial-planning/my-divorce-is-finalized-now-what