BLOG: What should you do once your divorce is finalized?
If you’ve been through the emotional roller coaster that is the divorce process, you’ll want to start your new life.
But what do you need to do to complete the administration of your divorce?
Your absolute decree
First, get a copy of your decree absolute and any consent orders that have been filed. Also keep a copy of the original marriage certificate. You will need it to prove to various agencies that you are now divorced. This particularly applies to financial institutions such as mortgage and pension companies, who will only change their records after viewing official documents. Keep them safe in electronic form and on paper, as you will need them.
Change your name
If you need to change your name, do it right away. You will need a copy of your decree absolute and your marriage certificate. You will need to notify the DVLA of any new name and address so that your driving license can be amended. If you don’t, you risk being fined for failing to notify the DVLA of a name change. There is a charge for this.
Contact your doctor and update the NHS with details of any new name and address. You don’t want to miss any appointment notifications for upcoming visits for you or your children.
Contact your bank
You will need to arrange to change your bank and credit cards. Open a new account if you need to and make sure all your standing orders and direct debits are connected to the correct account. Taking the time to sort through all your bank details will save you a lot of time and energy.
If bills are not paid from the correct bank account and you get cut off, it will be so frustrating. Also make sure you pay for the TV license to the correct address.
Many of these changes have no associated cost, it’s just the time and effort needed to ensure everything is switched to the correct bank details. Close any old bank accounts you no longer need.
your passport
Contact your local passport issuing office and renew your passport to show your new name. If you plan to leave soon, the plane tickets must match the name on your passport. So be sure to book your holiday in the name you will use on the new passport.
Contact your town hall and communicate your new address to it for housing tax reasons and make sure to modify your registration on the electoral lists for the right to vote.
make a new will
Moving forward after a divorce is like thinking about a new will. Although divorce ends all inheritance rights between spouses, it is important to write a new will to clearly define the destination of your inheritance and family assets.
If you leave your old will in place and your ex-spouse was the sole beneficiary, you will be considered deceased without leaving a will and your estate may be dealt with under the rules of intestate. You probably don’t want to, so write a new will. There are many will writing services offered online, especially in the charity section where companies will write the will for you if you are willing to leave a legacy to the charity.
Final checks
Finally, after a few weeks of dealing with the immediate administrator, verify that the major changes of the divorce are finalized. Check with your lawyer that the transfer of ownership has taken place if necessary.
Make sure all court-ordered support payments arrive correctly. If Child Support Services (CMS) is involved, check to see if they’ve completed their claims to make sure your ex-spouse is paying the correct amount and on time. Make sure the financial consent order you discussed during the divorce is put into effect.
Once you’ve done all of these things, you can start to relax. The divorce is over and you can start over. Treat yourself to new clothes and a few nights out – your new life starts here.
Chris Sweetman is a lawyer and founding director of Fair Result
