First of the year reminders

As we enter the new year knock out your anxiety about the unpleasant conversations you will need to have with the other parent. Discussions include custody calendar, taxes, and updating your estate plans.

Custody Calendar

Start by printing out a calendar and mapping out your schedule with your children’s schedules. Remember to think about dates such as mothers day, fathers day, and teacher work days. If you are not sure about these dates you can always go to your county’s calendar and print it out as well. While mapping out your schedules look back and use your agreement or consent order to help with any conflicts or disagreements.

Taxes

The new year can be all kinds of crazy, to help you through taxes reach out to your accountant. When you reach out to your accountant subjects to discuss would be dependency exemptions, child tax credits, and requirements for claiming or deducting alimony.

Update your Estate Plan

Life, finances, and relationships are always changing. If anything has changed since your separation or divorce it is time to update that information on your estate plan. Check the beneficiaries on your life insurance, retirement accounts, and investment accounts.

Run a free credit report

Rather going through a divorce or not you should keep up with your credit report. There are many websites where you can run a free credit report such as FreeScoreOnline.com. Once running this report make sure you recognize each and every debt, if you do not recognize a debt check to make sure your spouse did not open something up in your name.

Change all your passwords

If you are going through a separation or just went through a divorce, change all your passwords. Do not use a old password or one that has a connection with them. Change your phone password, bank password, and email. If you are bad a remembering passwords remember to save them in your computer or write them down.

Reflect on how to make this year easier

When you think back to the past year take a second to find the time where you were overwhelmed, frustrated, or depressed. Take these moments and reflect on how you can learn from them and prevent these moments from happening in the future. You now have all the control of your present and future, if you need to hire a therapist to get you through the tough times a head because although the divorce might be over hard times are not.

Give yourself a break

Going through divorce you have had to think about everyone but yourself. Take a break, forgive yourself, and relax. You have made it though one of the hardest things you will have to go through, its time to focus on yourself.