Collaborating To End Your Marriage
Posted on: 6 June 2017
Did you know that you can choose the direction your divorce might go? The way that you and your spouse deal with issues that arise with your divorce could either cost a lot of money, be stressful and take a lot of time to resolve, or not. Collaborative divorce is a more friendly way to end a marriage, and the use of this method to resolve differences is gaining popularity among divorcing couples, attorneys and the court system. Read on to learn more.
It takes a team: At the center of this type of divorce are two people who want to have a different kind of divorce than the usual bickering and battling. Throw in a couple of lawyers who believe in collaborative divorce and some helpful advisers and you have the recipe for a kinder, gentler take on parting ways.
The process:
1. Open and honest disclosure of financial and personal information. No collaboration is possible without full disclosure, so be ready for both parties to present a full picture of all debts and assets. Proof of those disclosures can include: bank, investment and retirement account statements, tax returns and more.
2. A series of meetings are scheduled. Pick an issue, and discuss it in a respectful manner with each other and any pertinent advisers. For example, a child custody evaluator or child psychologist could be brought onto the team to help the couple determine what type of custody would work best for their particular situation. The most contentious and emotional issues are left to last, with confidence being built by tackling subjects that both parties are more likely to agree upon early on in the process.
3. Dealing with problems. When issues arise, a mediation specialist uses conflict-resolution techniques to bring about an agreement.
4. The divorce agreement. The goal of the collaborative divorce is a divorce agreement that contains agreed upon provisions covering every element, from child support, custody and visitation to the division of debt and property. This document is the divorce, and once signed by both parties will be legally binding and will be filed with the court.
Benefits of the collaborative divorce:
- Less Time: A little more time spent making a fair, workable agreement before you file could result in less time hammering out the same issues in court. Court is almost always a time-consuming undertaking, and cases can drag on for months with continuances, hearings, delays, postponements and more.
- Less Money: Hiring expert advisers can be costly, but cannot compare to the hours and hours of billing a traditional divorce attorney will charge.
- Less Stress: The collaborative process calls for emphasizing a respectful attitude, and the support offered by the team works wonders to reduce stress.
Take a positive step toward the future and consider a collaborative divorce today. Speak to a divorce attorney, such as Law Office of Jared T. Amos for more information.
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