If the divorce procedure has reached to a point that the judge has signed the divorce agreement, then it means that you have reached a significant milestone in your divorce process. It will signify that the divorce has been legally concluded and you are free to start your new life. However, there are various other things that are required to clarify after the divorce judgment.
If you are looking for information about what will happen after the divorce agreement, then you are at the right place. In this article, we will understand what happens once a divorce judgment has been signed. However, if you want to know more about the divorce procedures, then you can consult any experienced law firm such as the Harris firm who can guide you about the divorce procedures.
What Happens Once a Divorce Judgment Has Been Signed?
The divorce procedure does not end after the judgment is signed. There are still various steps that you must do to finalize the separation fully and implement the divorce agreement. So, let’s understand what happens once a divorce judgment has been signed.
Divorce Becomes Legally Binding
Judge’s signature on the divorce judgment will make the legal terms enforceable. You have to understand that in some states divorce is effective immediately after the judgment is signed; however, in some states, there will be a waiting period for its final abrogation of the marriage. So, you have to confirm with your attorney about your date of divorce when it officially takes place. Additionally, you must also obtain the certified copies of the divorce judgment because it will be helpful for the official purposes or for changing the name.
Division of Property and Debts
Divorce judgment outlines how the marital assets and financial liabilities will be divided. You must be ready with the transfer of assets such as deeds, titles, documents for property, vehicles and other such assets. You must also close or separate the joint bank accounts and credit cards to ensure that they are updated to reflect your sole ownership or responsibility. There will also be some provisions about division of retirement funds if it is directed by the court. So, this is one of the important steps after the divorce papers have been signed.
Child Custody and Support Arrangements
If there is involvement of child custody in your divorce case, then you have to implement custody and support arrangements. You must adhere to the agreed-upon laws or the custody schedules to provide consistent support to your child. If the divorce agreement says the payment to the child custody, then you must adhere to this payment law. You must also ensure that you are focusing on effective co-parenting so that you are ensuring children’s well-being.
Updating Legal and Financial Records
After the divorce case, you must ensure that you are changing your legal documents. You can go for a name changing procedure which will require your divorce agreement. You have to update the name in the social security card, passport, driver’s license and other such information. In some cases there will be a requirement of updates in the beneficiary name in the insurance policies, retirement accounts and other such documents. Additionally, you must inform your employer about your new status so that it can adjust with your tax withholding accordingly.
Enforce the Divorce Agreement
In the last step you should implement the divorce agreement. If you avoid any clause of the divorce agreement, then it will be considered as a contempt of court and therefore you must enforce the divorce agreement. You can seek the court enforcement for unpaid support or failure of transfer of assets and any violation of custody agreements.
So, these are some of the important processes that you can expect after the divorce judgment has been signed.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
