Figuring out how to deal with your divorce can be enormously stressful. After all, you probably don’t want the details of your marriage to be broadcast to everyone in open court. Yet, unless you can settle your marriage dissolution through settlement negotiations, that’s where your divorce is likely to head. If that thought has you stressed out, you shouldn’t worry too much, as most divorces end up getting settled before issues have to be litigated in court.
What you can do to settle your divorce
If you want negotiate settlement of your divorce, there are a lot of things that you need to keep in mind. First of all, don’t feel like you have to rush the process to get it over with. Doing so can just put you at risk of a less than favorable outcome, because under these circumstances, you’re more likely to give into your spouse’s demands. With that in mind, here are some other things to take into consideration as you prepare to negotiate the terms of your divorce settlement:
- What does your post-divorce budget look like: Before discussing important financial issues like property division and spousal support, you need to know what your post-divorce budget is going to look like. By creating this budget, you’ll gain a better sense of the financial resources that you’ll need post-divorce in order to secure financial stability. This can focus your negotiation strategy.
- What your spouse is going to be angling for: Just as there are things that you need and want out of your divorce settlement, your spouse will probably want certain assets, too. If you can figure out what their strategy is going to be, you might be better positioned to use those assets as leverage to get what you want.
- Make sure you’re including all marital assets: It might be hard to believe, but spouses hide marital assets from each other all the time. This means that important financial resources can be kept out of the property division process, which, in turn, can put you at a financial disadvantage. Therefore, as you prepare to enter your settlement negotiations, it’s important that you have a firm understanding of your marital finances and conduct a diligent investigation if you suspect that assets are being hidden from you.
- Identify what’s best for your kids: Although divorce is a major financial transaction, it can also reshape your relationship with your children. Before you start talking about the type of custody and visitation arrangement that should come out of your divorce, you might want to start thinking about what’s best for your kids. This is a comprehensive evaluation based on statutorily identified factors. So, make sure you understand those best interest factors and how they may come into play in your case.
Don’t leave your divorce to chance
These are just some of the considerations that you need to take into account as you prepare to negotiate resolution to your divorce. There may be many other issues that will require your attention. But if the thought of dealing with all of these complex matters has you overwhelmed, don’t worry.
You can secure legal assistance to help you create the negotiation and litigation strategy that you need to protect your interests. In fact, we would discourage you from trying to resolve your divorce on your own, as doing so may lead to unwanted and unintended consequences.
Therefore, if you want a legal advocate on your side who can help you argue for what is fair, please consider reaching out to a legal team like ours for support.