Getting a divorce is never a decision to come to lightly. However, if your marriage is no longer worth saving and you and your spouse would be better off apart, it might be the best thing for you and your children if you have any. Of course, an amicable split is best because it makes things easier for everyone. These are five tips for using a lawyer to achieve an amicable divorce.
1- Communicate Effectively
One of the best ways to have an amicable divorce is to keep the lines of communication open with your spouse. You should also be able to communicate clearly and concisely. This is especially important if you have children together. Communicating effectively allows both of you the opportunity to encourage dialogue so that you can discuss what needs to be done with all the matters pertaining to your divorce. A reputable divorce lawyer will encourage this and even offer tips on how to communicate in a way that mutually works for spouses.
2- Be Open to Negotiation
If you want your divorce to be amicable all the way through, you must be open to negotiating with your spouse. Of course, this can’t be a one-way street. Being fair-minded and flexible allows you to be more likely to negotiate about issues like alimony and child support. Depending on the situation, you may even be more open to sharing legal custody of your children when your negotiation skills are there.
In some cases, you might have to make some sacrifices when you and your spouse negotiate. Although this can be tough to swallow, it might be necessary. Remember that marriage is about sacrifice; sometimes, divorce is the same way.
3- Focus on Your Children
Focus on your children and ensure that you both have their best interests at heart. It can help to keep things civil and even amicable moving forward with your divorce. With emphasis placed on the kids, you can co-parent more effectively and make things easier for them as the family dynamic begins to change. You can even work on a co-parenting plan with the help of your attorney and discuss what works best to make a healthy, stable environment for your children. It can be made official as your divorce proceeds.
4- Protect Your Finances
Even as you work with your spouse to have as amicable a divorce as possible, work with your attorney to protect your finances as well. Your financial interests are crucial to your future, so it’s wise to determine which assets are yours so you can get a better picture of how assets and debts will be divided. Gather all of your financial documents and meet with a financial advisor if necessary. Once you know what’s yours alone and what you and your spouse jointly own or owe, you can get a better idea of your post-divorce financial situation. This can also help you get an idea of what to expect with your new budget.
5- Stay Out of Court
One of the best ways to keep your divorce amicable all the way through is to stay out of court. Traditional divorces are often drawn out and emotional, riddled with disputes and unpleasantness. If you want to keep things as civil as possible, an alternative option should be your priority. This can be divorce mediation with a neutral third-party mediator or collaborative divorce. Both allow you and your spouse to take control of your divorce by compromising to find a middle ground at the end of your marriage.
