If you are thinking about getting a divorce, you might have a lot of different things going on in your head. You may want to go ahead and tell your spouse about your intentions, but it is important to make sure that you have yourself taken care of first. Depending on your situation, you may need to take certain steps before announcing your plans of divorce to your husband or wife. These are a few things that you may want to consider doing in this situation.

1. Gather Financial Documents

The truth is that you are going to need to have clear evidence of you and your spouse's financial situation when filing for divorce. This is especially important if you think that your spouse should be required to pay you child support and/or alimony. It can be easier for you to get this information while you and your spouse are still together -- and before your spouse has a chance to try to "hide" money -- so it's smart to work on this before announcing the divorce.

2. Make Living Arrangements

Depending on the situation, you may need to move out of the marital home during the divorce. Once you tell your spouse about your plans for divorce, you do not know how he or she will react, and there is a chance that things will be better if the two of you can separate immediately. Whether you are planning on going to a hotel, renting an apartment, or moving in with a family member, it's smart to have a plan in mind and to make sure that you have enough money to execute your plan. Even if you think that you will be the one who stays in the marital home, it's smart to have a plan B in mind, just in case.

3. Meet With an Attorney

It's smart to work with an attorney before you ever tell your spouse that you want to get a divorce. Your attorney can give you guidance about how to proceed and can help you with things like restraining orders and temporary child custody, if these things apply to your situation.

As you can see, it's often not a smart idea to walk up to your spouse and announce that you want a divorce without taking certain steps first. A divorce lawyer like those at the Bray & Johnson Law Firm can give you other advice about things that you should do before having the big conversation with your current husband or wife.