Divorce Law: 3 Documents You Need To Update After Ending Your Marriage

Divorce is definitely a major decision and usually affects various aspects of your life. For instance, it can hugely impact your daily routine, finances, social relationships, leadership dynamics, and family ties. Of course, you can end your marriage if you really have good reasons for it. However, you should handle the process well to avoid unexpected financial or legal problems. But even as you do so, you need to know the documents you should update after divorce. Here are three documents you need to update after ending your marriage.

Medical Directives 

A time comes when you cannot make sound medical decisions yourself, particularly when you are seriously injured. In this case, you need someone who can make good decisions on your behalf. If you had indicated that your ex-spouse is the most suitable person for this role, you might have to update or revise your medical power of attorney. You definitely can't trust them with your health or medical help, mainly if they are still bitter with you.

Also, you may need to update your medical treatment consent document, although the current child custody situation will determine how you do it. In most cases, the parent taking care of the child is best suited to approve the medical treatment the child should get.

Property Titles and Deeds

It's good to know that life continues after divorce. For instance, you will definitely want to own properties that bear your name on the property deed. So if you have a property deed that bears both your name and your ex-spouse's, you should update it. If you had jointly owned real estate and cars, you might want to own them separately. This means you may have to update the current titles and deeds.

Since ownership transfer involves daunting paperwork, you should let a professional in divorce law help you. The lawyer ensures that the paperwork is transparent and legally binding.

Estate Plan and Will

You definitely need to update your estate plan or will after divorce. It's usually a necessary step if you don't want your ex-spouse to be a beneficiary or inherit your estate or assets. If you had selected your ex-spouse's friend or relative as a guardian or executor, you might need to revise the will after the divorce. This allows you to choose someone you can trust when it comes to managing your estate and taking care of your minor children.

Consult a divorce attorney to learn more about the situation.