I’ve been with my husband now for 13 years and we have a 3 year old daughter together. We are not officially married but we claim common law and have since 2017.

The relationship is incredibly toxic and abusive.. and I need to leave.

I have been a stay at home mom since the birth of my daughter and have no income or any access to his money.

I want to go about this the right way but I have no idea where to start. Do I need to contact a lawyer before I leave? Am I entitled to anything? Spousal support/child support? I will be able to live with my mother.. so I will have a place to stay. If I am living with my mom am I entitled to OW until I can get myself back on my feet? I won’t be able to pay for a lawyer.. I will have zero financial support, do divorce lawyers require a retainer fee?

I know that I can contact a lawyer myself and find out this information, but he’s off until after the new year.. so I won’t be able to until then.. when he goes back to work and I have time alone.

These last few days have been incredibly hard and I would like to leave as soon as I can.. but again.. I want to do this the right way.

He’s an aggressive person and I know he will try to make my life as difficult as he can once I am gone and I would like to make sure I have my ducks in a row so that I can do this the right way.

I’m not even sure if this is the right sub to ask.. if anyone knows of one I should be asking for info on this please let me know, any advice will help.