Going through a divorce is never easy, but there’s no reason to make it harder on yourself than necessary. Through a combination of proactive tactics and smart decision making, you can make the divorce process much smoother and more convenient.
How to Make Your Divorce Easier
These are some of the best ways you can make your divorce easier, starting from the moment you begin considering the option.
1. Think carefully about your decision.
Divorce is a big step. Even if things go well, this is going to be an expensive, long, and exhausting process. On top of that, you need to consider divorce as a permanent change; leaving your spouse shouldn’t be an emotional response to a temporary problem. No matter how angry you are in the moment, or how much you currently feel resentful, you need to think about this decision logically and rationally. Are you prepared to separate for good? If you can no longer stay in this relationship, you can figure out the logistics later – but you don’t want to make a decision you ultimately regret.
2. Have a plan for the house.
After you’re divorced, you won’t be living in the same house – at least not together. Your house is typically the biggest shared asset you have, and because it’s functionally indivisible, it’s also the most complicated to sort out. Do you keep the house and give money to your spouse to compensate them for their portion of it? Do you give up the house in exchange for something else? No matter what, you need to have a plan. In many cases, the best plan is to sell the house outright and split the proceeds. Selling the house in cash is fast, easy, and nets your liquid proceeds you can easily and conveniently split. Additionally, neither one of you may be interested in continuing to live in this house after the relationship is over.
3. Prioritize your children.
If you have children, prioritize their wellbeing. Depending on their age, it may make sense to explain to them exactly what’s happening as early as possible, so they have healthy and accurate expectations for what comes next. Even if they’re not old enough to understand what divorce truly means, you can continue to coparent with your partner throughout the divorce proceedings and afterward. Treat this as a team effort, even as you’re going through your split.
4. Contact a divorce attorney early.
The earlier you contact a divorce attorney, the better. An attorney will be able to help you understand the full ramifications of getting a divorce, the best processes for managing a divorce, and the most important strategies for avoiding unfair outcomes. Even if you want to split as amicably and fairly as possible, you should still have a competent attorney on your side.
5. Work together as a team when possible.
In certain situations, teamwork may be impossible; if you’re in an abusive situation or if your partner outright refuses to cooperate, you may need to take an adversarial role. Otherwise, treat this as a collaborative effort. Work together to find compromises and continue managing your life together for the duration of your relationship.
6. Save messages and other forms of evidence.
Your lawyer can advise you on this further, but it’s important to save messages and other forms of evidence that could be useful in the divorce proceedings. For example, if you have proof that your spouse was having an affair, if you have messages that indicate abuse, or if you have receipts that suggest financial wrongdoing, keep these available and make copies if you can.
7. Avoid badmouthing or posting publicly.
In the middle of a divorce, your emotions will run hot. You may be tempted to talk about your relationship, your spouse, or the divorce itself on social media or in public. Resist the urge to do so. Badmouthing your spouse or publicly posting about divorce details could end up hurting you in the long run.
8. Build a support network.
Divorce is one of the most stressful events a person can go through, so spend the days and weeks leading up to your divorce building up a support network for yourself. You may want to keep the details of your relationship turmoil to yourself for now but let the people around you know that you’re preparing for a change and that you may need their help in the future. Chances are that your friends and family members will be available for whatever you need.
9. Organize your finances.
You can manage your divorce much more thoroughly and competently if you go into proceedings with organized finances. Spend some time looking at your joint bank accounts, individual accounts, shared assets, and spending patterns so you have an idea what you can expect from negotiations in the future. This is also an opportunity to review any prenuptial or postnuptial agreements that may be in place in your relationship.
10. Consider mediation.
For many divorcing couples, mediation is the best way to go. In a mediation setting, a neutral third party helps both divorcing partners converse with each other, collaborate on a shared agreement, and ultimately, split their assets and work out agreements peacefully. Mediation is typically faster, less expensive, and less painful than a traditional legal battle – as long as both of you are willing to participate and remain open-minded.
Selling Your House in Cash
There are many decisions you’ll need to make as you go through your divorce, but the biggest one is probably deciding what to do with your house. For many divorcing couples, the most straightforward and fairest option is to sell the house in cash and divide the proceeds in half; at the very least, it’s worth getting a free cash offer to see what your home is worth.
Are you ready to get your cash offer? All we need is a few pieces of information to get started. Start here today!