Filing for divorce is the first legal step you'll need to take, but there are several things you'll need to do before you file for divorce. First, you'll need to be certain that filing for divorce is what you want. Make sure there is no hope for reconciliation before you serve your spouse with divorce papers. Next, you will need to interview attorneys and decide which law firm to hire. The sooner you speak to an attorney, the better.
Your attorney can help you understand which financial documents you need to gather and advise you on the steps you should take before filing for divorce. You also need to determine your goals for child custody, alimony, and property division and figure out your living situation.