How to Make the Decision to Get a Divorce in the New Year
Getting a divorce is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. How do you arrive at such a difficult decision to go your separate ways? The holidays are a time when many people reach a point where “enough is enough.” They are not getting along with their spouse and/or in-laws and they have reached a point that going solo is preferable to staying in an unfulfilling marriage.
While divorce can be an extremely difficult decision, it is also a positive step in the right direction. If you are not quite ready to divorce but the holiday period has pushed you to consider it, one option is to invite your spouse to engage in goal-focused marital mediation with an attorney-mediator who can help you decide whether to move forward with divorce or to continue to work on your marriage.
If divorce is right for you, mediation is an effective way to prepare you and your spouse for the reality that you are ready to go your separate ways and to show you how. When you engage in mediation with an experienced attorney- mediator who specializes in family law you may also be able to anticipate some of the conflicts you could experience if you divorce and create agreements to act civilly towards each other and to communicate your divorce appropriately to your children. You will also receive some accurate input of how a judge would interpret issues in your divorce.
If you are not quite ready to get a divorce, going to mediation could help you clarify what you want to do about your marriage and ensures that both parties concerns are really being addressed and not shelved someplace. It can be therapeutic. You can make agreements with a spouse in mediation about going to counseling or agree to trigger additional mediation sessions if your marriage still is not working out. Most important, you can meet with the mediator to draft your divorce agreement and petition, and if things work out, you can reconcile and if they do not, you can have the petition and divorce agreement filed with court. That way neither spouse feels that they are drawing false lines in the sand and that they are being heard.
Divorce mediation is the fastest and most cost-effective way to get a divorce. It reduces conflict and educates you about the division of your assets and liabilities, custody and parenting plans, and your finances and tax issues.
It should be noted, that if you are in a marriage that is physically or emotionally abusive, or if your spouse is hiding assets, divorce mediation might not be right for you. Check with your mediator first but in these situations, it may be best to take steps to protect yourself and hire an experienced family law advocate.
If you are ready to make a decision about your marriage in the New Year, whatever your situation may be, our experienced divorce attorneys and family law mediators are here to help. We can help you initiate a discussion with your spouse about your marriage which can result in an agreement to move forward with a divorce or to work on your marriage.
If you are ready to move forward, we can assist you by representing you individually or helping you and your spouse resolve your divorce through mediation. Please contact Amaral & Associates PC to learn how our experienced Family Law Mediators and Attorneys can help you to approach your divorce decision in a sensitive and informed manner so you can make a fresh start.
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