Organization Needed to Combat Mounds of Divorce Paperwork

 Posted on March 03, 2018 in Divorce

Your paperwork can literally pile up when going through a divorce. You will need to keep track of various personal documents, court forms, bills, and official correspondences. Your documents will likely be a mix of paper and digital files, which may add to your confusion. Disorganization can cost you additional time and money as you try to find important documents or correct mistakes. Being organized comes naturally to some people. If you are not one of those people, here are five tips for improving your organizational skills:

1. Use Folders: Whether physical or digital, you should sort all of your divorce related documents for future reference. For physical documents, folders and binders should work well, along with a filing container. On your computer, you can create folders and subfolders for text documents, spreadsheets, PDFs and other files. You can also use folders in your email to sort messages. Folders will both protect your documents and make it easier to find them later.
2. Coming Up with a System: There are many ways you can categorize your documents. The system you choose should be one that makes the most sense to you, as long as someone else can reasonably understand it. However, keep in mind that you may often need to look up documents based on subject matter, such as personal income, properties, or benefits plans.
3. Getting Rid of Clutter: There are files and paperwork that you do not need keep after their initial use is over. In some instances, keeping old drafts of documents can cause confusion. You do not want to accidentally use a document that is out of date. Consult with your attorney about whether there are documents that are safe to erase or destroy.
4. Back Up Your Files: In the event that your documents are lost or destroyed, it is important to have copies of the files. This is easier to do with digital files because you can back up your files on a cloud server or external hard drive. You can also take pictures of your paper documents and store them digitally. Just make sure you regularly update your backup files.
5. Do Not Put Things Off: Your biggest obstacle to your organization may be psychological. Divorce is stressful, and it is tempting to ignore documents and files that will add to your stress. Allowing papers or emails to pile up will make it more difficult to organize them later. You should get in the habit of immediately reading documents and sorting them into the appropriate files.

Keeping You Organized

You should talk to your lawyer if you feel overwhelmed by all of the documents and paperwork you are receiving during your divorce. A DuPage County divorce attorney at Calabrese Associates, PC, will advise you on how to handle the pressures and workload associated with divorce. To schedule a consultation, call 630-393-3111.

Source:

http://www.lisathomsonlive.com/staying-organized-during-divorce-tips/