Wedding and baby registries give family, friends and co-workers a chance to give something you want or need as you start a new phase of life, so why not have one as you divorce? Specialized divorce registry sites are available. Major retailers like Amazon, Target and others now also give people the opportunity to set up a registry for any occasion – and people are creating divorce registries there.
To be clear, a divorce registry is not an alternative to a fair property division agreement or support agreement. It’s simply meant to allow those who care about you to help out with the things you need as you furnish a new home or fill in the gaps left by the things your spouse got. It can also help you focus on the important aspects of your property division settlement and not on who gets the state-of-the-art coffee maker.
You can use a divorce registry to ask for more than items
Even if you don’t need any new possessions, a divorce registry like Divorcist lets you ask for help with everything from moving to dog walking and more. It also lets you create a cash fund if you need a little help financially.
Fresh Starts focuses on home furnishings. This can help if you need to furnish and decorate a room for your child in your new place or turn that gaming room in your current home into a spare bedroom now that your spouse has moved out.
While divorce registries are largely marketed toward women, it’s just a matter of time before we start to see those geared toward things that newly single men are likely to need. In the meantime, anyone can use them.
Setting up a divorce registry can give you a welcome respite from dealing with your soon-to-be ex and wading through legal documents. It gives you a chance to look ahead to your new life.
Again, a divorce registry is no substitute for fair property division and other agreements. That’s why you need experienced legal guidance. However, it can give you someplace to direct all those well-meaning people who say, “Tell me how I can help.”