Norwich Law Blog

Even if you're confident that divorce is the answer to all your marital problems, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be easy. There are many challenges along the way, as well as an adjustment period after your marriage is in the past.

There are a variety of steps you can take to stabilize your situation after the divorce process comes to a close. Here are five things you'll want to do:

• Lean on your support system: From friends and family to coworkers, there are people who care about your situation and want to see you feel better. Lean on these people during this adjustment period, as it can go a long way in helping you realize just how good you have it.
• Don't hide your emotions: You don't want to dwell on the past, but at the same time you shouldn't hide your emotions. It's okay to cry. It's okay to feel sad. It's even okay to revisit your marriage and what went wrong.
• Don't isolate yourself: This goes along with leaning on your support system. It's easy to feel so down on yourself that you don't want to see anyone. However, if you fall into this funk, you may find it difficult to break free in the future.
• Be patient: It may take several weeks or months for you to feel good about where things stand. Take each day as it comes, and never feel that you're not recovering as quickly as you should.
• Take on a new hobby: Think about all the things you were unable to do when you were stuck in your marriage. From traveling to taking up a new sport, look for ways to stay active.

When shopping for a home in Connecticut, some buyers may hear that they need to be pre-qualified or pre-approved and think they are the same thing. However, according to Realtor.com, this is not the case at all. Being pre-qualified is actually an initial step before seeking pre-approval for a mortgage loan. Completing both processes will leave you in a better position to buy your next home.

To get pre-qualified, you approach a mortgage lender with certain financial information that generally explains your income, your assets, your credit and your debt. However, the information you provide is pretty basic and does not need to include documents that back up your claims. After you have provided this information, the lender will give you an estimate of the loan you can possibly afford.

An estate plan ensures your family is cared for after you're gone. However, estate plans can also be the source of stress between heirs when one perceives he or she has been slighted or not received a fair share of the estate. While you can't always prevent your heirs from fighting, AARP recommends the following steps so you can mitigate as much stress as possible. 

If you're extremely concerned about conflicts arising, consider giving all of your heirs an equal portion of your estate. Estate squabbles are not always about money issues, although money is definitely a factor. In some cases, providing one child a greater share can exacerbate old resentments, some of which may have materialized in childhood. Giving each heir an equal share of your assets will prevent them from claiming favorites while also showing how much you care for your family.

As a Connecticut resident, you may know that the state approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes in 2012. However, Connecticut has not yet joined other states that have legalized recreational marijuana. Although non-medical marijuana use is not yet legal in Connecticut, there are some adjustments to state laws that minimize penalties for marijuana possession.

According to the Connecticut General Assembly, it is no longer a crime for you to possess a small amount of marijuana, even without medical authorization. The threshold is half an ounce. As long as you are over 21 years old, you may simply face a fine for possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana for personal use. If you are under 21 years old, you may get an additional penalty in the form of a short suspension of your driver's license. Although Connecticut has decriminalized possession in this way, federal law still considers marijuana a Schedule 1 controlled substance, so you may face federal charges in some cases.