When you start thinking about divorce, you may also start thinking about changing how you handle your home, finances or time with your children. Some of those choices can affect issues the court later reviews.
Before you file, it often helps to understand which changes could matter. The court may divide property and, if you have children, decide parenting issues based on their best interests.
Keep your finances easy to follow
In a New Hampshire divorce, the court may divide property that belongs to either spouse, even if only one name appears on an account or title. The law starts with the assumption that an equal split is fair, though certain factors can support a different result.
The law does not automatically block you from making a large transfer or sale before filing. However, the court can later look at what each spouse did during the marriage to raise or lower the value of property. Once you file, the court automatically restricts many property transfers. You may want to keep recent records and avoid unusual changes that make account activity harder to explain.
Think carefully about home and parenting changes
Moving out of the family home does not mean you give up your share of it. If you have children, though, moving could change the routine you follow with them each day.
Courts decide parenting issues based on the child’s best interests. They look at the child’s relationship with each parent and ties to school and the community. If the current routine is safe and works well, it might help to review how a move would affect your child before you change it.
Review major choices before filing
You may want to keep copies of recent financial records and note the parenting schedule you follow now. These records can help show what your finances and family routine looked like before the case began. Learning how New Hampshire handles the end of a marriage can also help you decide which changes require more thought.
