Many people who think about divorce conjure images of highly contentious courtroom battles that leave the parties scarred for life. Although some marriage dissolutions involve a lot of conflict, a lot of them actually end on amicable terms. If you can find a way to end your marriage in that fashion, then you can reduce your stress and protect your mental health while ensuring that you and your ex-spouse are able to effectively address family issues later down the road.
But just because you want to end your marriage amicably doesn’t mean that you should just sit back and let your spouse steer the ship. After all, taking a passive approach could cause you to be taken advantage of, which could have significant financial and mental ramifications for a long time to come. Therefore, before you agree to negotiate and ultimately settle your divorce, you should carefully consider these issues:
- Are you getting the assets that you need? There are probably certain assets that you’re absolutely going to need once your marriage officially ends. For example, you might need a vehicle to ensure that you can get to work. Or you might need the family residence if you’re going to be the custodial parent. Think about what you need and whether your divorce settlement includes those assets.
- Has debt been fairly divided? In an equitable division state like New York, marital assets and debts are to be divided in a fair fashion. Remember, this doesn’t mean that everything has to be split 50/50. So, carefully think through the factors that apply to asset and debt division to ensure that you’re not being left with more debt than you deserve and more than you can handle.
- Is your custody arrangement in your children’s best interests? Child custody disputes can be hotly contested, with each parent thinking that they know what’s best for their children. But don’t let your aversion to conflict prevent you from seeking out the child custody arrangement that is best for your kids. This may mean looking at each parent’s physical, mental, and financial health, as well as each parent’s ability to meet your child’s needs. Don’t be afraid to speak up for what you think is right.
- Do you have the financial support that you need? If you’ve made sacrifices during your marriage, then you might be at a financial disadvantage heading into post-divorce life. In these circumstances, though, you might be entitled to alimony and child support. Your spouse is probably going to be hesitant to pay this support, especially since it can be so costly, but you shouldn’t let him or her dissuade you from seeking out the support that you need and deserve. Make sure that you’re working with your attorney to determine a support amount that is appropriate under the circumstances.
- Do you have a plan post-divorce? If you have children, then you’ll want to have an effective co-parenting plan in place. If you’re moving out of the family residence, then you need to make sure that you’ve found a new place to stay. If you’re keeping the family home, then you’ll want to make sure that you’ve budgeted properly to ensure that you can cover costs on your sole income. Try to take a comprehensive look at your post-divorce life so that you’re not taken by surprise once your marriage officially ends.
Legal help is available to help alleviate the burden
There’s no doubt that the divorce process is stressful, even for those who are dissolving their marriage in an amicable fashion. But you may find that navigating the divorce process with the help of an experienced attorney can help alleviate the burden that you’re feeling and reduce the tension involved in the process. If you want competent representation in your divorce while finding an amicable and compassionate resolution, then you may want to continue to read our website to learn about our firm and what we have to offer our clients.