Met with a lawyer: few financial questions
So, I met with lawyer number 2 but I think I'm going to go with lawyer number 1 since she was a flat fee lawyer and I'm afraid that my fees with number 2 would go sky high when dealing with divorcing AH. I doubt this will be quick and easy....maybe I'm wrong, but based on his behaviors in the past I'm guessing he will pull all kinds of manipulative stuff to make things harder for us all.
My initial proposal for my AH is that he can keep his 401K and I'll get to keep the house. Obviously, there are things that need to happen, firstly he must agree to it, LOL. Then, he'd have to be the one to move out. The equity in the house is extremely close to what I'd get out of a payout from his 401K but I think I'd be able to do more with the equity from the house since I'm not near retirement age. I'd rather pay capital gains taxes than pay the IRS penalties on cashing out an IRA if it came to that. I'd also have to figure out if I should refinance the house in my name only or if he'd be OK staying on the deed and setting a timeframe for me to sell the house so that the debt won't stay on his credit report for too long. My financial background and brain have been working overtime this past week and all I can say is that I am very grateful that my stocks bounced back this week after the debacle on Wall Street last week, ugh!
Anyway, as I walk around the house I keep thinking of labeling what I want to keep and what I 'don't care if he takes'. Here's a question: how on earth did you all split up the house with the A's? I am most likely going to tell him to just take whatever he wants and that I'll figure it out afterwards. Take the TV, take the couches, I don't care....but there are a few things I'd like to keep, you know? Stupid kitchen gadgets, my good stock pots, the vacuum(I'm very attached to my vacuum, LOL), etc.
How did this all shake out for most of you? Am I dreaming thinking that AH will leave willingly? Should I just suck it up and move to a rental and then fight him for half the equity? UGH.....so much to think about!