How to Have an Amicable Divorce?
Like most people, you may also believe that “amicable” and “divorce” shouldn’t be used in the same sentence.
Divorce, by definition, signifies that two people have decided they no longer want to be together and are moving apart. This would not be the case if they lived in a happy relationship.
However, going through the legal procedures to end a marriage should always be done reasonably and amicably. It saves you time, money, and further anguish if you learn how to divorce amicably. I know you might be thinking it’s easier said than done, but honestly speaking, it is definitely doable.
What is an Amicable Divorce?
An amicable divorce or separation is the Holy Grail of breakups in which you cooperate to achieve a desirable result. You both compromise and work toward the best outcome for you and your family rather than trying to win arguments or damage one another.
Although it’s not always simple, it is possible to develop this high level of emotional maturity.
How is an amicable divorce possible?
An amicable divorce is possible with a lot of effort and commitment from both sides, even though divorce is typically a painful and challenging process.
Many couples start the divorce process with animosity, rage, and unmet marital needs and expectations. This is what frequently motivates couples to fight during the divorce process rather than foster a cordial environment where they realize the eventual aim of divorce.
How to have an amicable divorce? Steps and the key To Have An Amicable Divorce.
Here are the steps on how to get divorced amicably:
1. Be Ready to Show Kindness to Yourself and Others:
Making peace with oneself is the first step to a smooth divorce. Yes, you are where it all begins.
To build a solid personal foundation, you need to:
- Educate yourself to better yourself.
- Maintaining healthy physical and mental health.
- Before looking for a new partner, concentrate on ending this one.
- Give your children’s health top priority.
- Honor your spouse.
Consider Your Physical and Mental Health
Divorce does not indicate that you or your spouse are inherently flawed. Remember that you will start a new chapter by being open and honest about your relationship.
To do that successfully, you need to be in a healthy and sane state of mind. This is where taking care of your physical and mental health comes in,
By maintaining good physical health, you will benefit your intellect as well. Maintain your regular workout schedule and consume nourishing foods to strengthen your body and mind as you navigate a difficult adjustment. To prevent making judgments based on emotion, it’s crucial to continue doing the things that make you feel productive, balanced, and tranquil.
You are the author of your tale, so keep fortifying your body and mind to attain the equilibrium and balance required for a successful divorce.
One Relationship at a Time:
Even if you’ve been divorced for more than a year, wait before you start dating seriously. Give your divorce the time and effort it needs if you want it to be pleasant.
You’ve decided to divide your time, intellect, and heart by beginning a new relationship while trying to end an existing one. Yes, your heart is necessary for a harmonious divorce!
Even if you split, divorce will require you to demonstrate understanding, bravery, and love.
Remember that if you decide to date, you are introducing a new person into the picture. This indicates that your new spouse can influence your ideas and behaviors, preventing you from separating amicably.
Consider What Would Be Best For Your Kids:
Show your children that they can overcome one of life’s biggest obstacles and survive and thrive. It’s repeatedly observed how divorces marred by fighting have a detrimental impact on the mental and emotional health of the children.
Your decision to separate amicably will show your kids the value of teamwork, respect, and grit. They get the chance to experience love and support while dealing with the impending change in parenting arrangements.
Honor Your Spouse:
There are many reasons why you are divorcing a person you previously loved. This does not imply that you should harbor any malice toward them.
On the other hand, cooperation with and comprehension of your spouse’s opinions are important necessities for an amicable divorce. You will need to respect your spouse and negotiate sensibly if you want your collaboration to be a successful and amicable separation.
Even though you no longer love your spouse or want to live with him/ her, you can still behave with love when going through a divorce.
This is crucial since you will be co-parents of your children for the rest of your lives if you and your partner have children together. Everyone will be healthier the sooner you accept this reality and decide to lead by example for your children.
2. Determine and Stick to Your Goals:
It’s crucial to decide on and put your divorce goals in writing from the outset. What is an amicable divorce, and how to achieve it?
It’s crucial to set realistic goals before we get started. If your goal is to win at any cost, you’ll probably get into a heated argument, feel bad about yourself afterward, or even get into legal trouble.
The key to a smooth divorce is for both parties to exercise good judgment and strive for a win-win outcome rather than a one-sided one.
Your objectives should be divided into two main categories: financial and personal.
Financial Targets:
Although finances are a major cause of divorce, they don’t have to be a source of contention. It’s crucial to be upfront and truthful about your financial condition.
Write down your present finances first. When discussing your current assets and debts, you must be honest, open, and thorough. Decide what you want the future of your finances to look like next.
With your money being split, how much do you need to survive? How long will you require spousal assistance, or can you afford to provide it? Do you have any shared debts that you want to continue paying off together, or can that be settled now?
Do you have any shared debts that you want to continue paying off together, or can that be settled now?
Personal Targets:
After reviewing the numbers, list your non-financial personal objectives for your post-divorce life.
Do you like to keep a cordial but autonomous connection with your ex-spouse or become friends with her? How frequently would you like to visit your kids? What rules do you want to follow when raising your children? Where are you going to call home? Will you be relocating?
Once more, a specialist like a consulting divorce attorney can ensure that your rights are upheld and that you have considered all pertinent issues in this case.
Stay Concentrated and Aim Forward:
Keep your attention on your goals now that you have identified them. Ensure that these objectives are reflected in your words and deeds.
For instance, let them go if you have differing views on who will get the house plans and didn’t list getting rid of them as one of your material goals.
Stay focused on the leaderboard showing who receives more of what. Instead, review your list of the most significant issues, and focus on those.
Additionally, resist the need to revisit old wounds and work on your future. Past grudges will cloud your judgment and make it difficult to think clearly about the essential elements of creating your new life.
Avoid “sweating the minor stuff” to complete the important tasks on your agenda. Simply put, you need a plan from Point X to Point Y to accomplish a goal.
Concentrate your eyes forward because you can’t go backward from Point X.
3. Opt For Mediation Rather Than Litigation:
Do not involve the courts or judges in your divorce. You may take charge of your divorce with mediation, which is frequently the most amicable method to end your marriage.
In mediation, a neutral individual assists you and your spouse by having beneficial discussions to reach a solution. The process is entirely voluntary and private and intended to help both parties come to an amicable agreement over their differences.
4. Belief in the Process:
It’s necessary to put in a lot of effort, be patient, and concentrate on your current personal issues if you want your divorce to go smoothly.
The objective is to create a new, healthy relationship with your ex that is frequently entirely different from the one you had before.
Although doing so in good faith and with persistent effort sets the stage for a successful future for all parties involved, it takes time and can be challenging to process along the way.
It’s Going to Be Challenging:
If you have done your research and set goals, you’ve already completed some difficult preliminary work. It’s now time to put your plan into action.
You will still need time and effort to arrange, fund, and negotiate the mediation sessions. It could be necessary for you to have difficult conversations with your spouse, which can occasionally feel like an uphill battle.
However, if you are upfront about and willing to put in the necessary effort, your reality will match your expectations, and you will be great on your way to get an amicable divorce.
Be Persistent:
When making crucial decisions to be amicably separated, neither you nor your spouse should make haste. Here, it’s essential to be exact and detailed.
Taking breaks is suggested to clear your head and give yourself room to breathe, even during meditation sessions.
If you’ve reached a dead end, take some time to walk away or speak with your lawyer to stay focused on your objectives. Your ability to maintain emotional stability and mental focus will allow you to confidently and amicably carry on with the proceedings.
Concentrate on Your Issues:
Because every divorce is unique, avoid comparing your divorce to others. Your friends and relatives may contribute anecdotes or lessons learned, but they are more likely to divert you from your goal of getting a successful divorce than to help you get one.
Similarly, social media may be a seductive medium to gather feedback, rally support, or blow off steam. You allow outsiders to weigh in on your private affairs in both situations.
Remember that your life and marriage are unique to you and your spouse. Divorce aims to be a mutually agreeable divorce rather than an individual victory.
5. Seek Expert Assistance:
You don’t have to go through it alone. You can achieve a smooth divorce by working with specialists that care and are driven by goals.
There are various options for finding solid support, including mediators, consulting divorce attorneys, coaches, therapists, and more.
Mediator:
The mediator will serve as your mentor while you work to reach a compromise with your partner. But when it comes to getting a smooth divorce, there are two things to keep in mind about mediators.
First of all, remember that the mediator is not a judge and that you should wait to prepare to present your case to them because they won’t be picking sides or determining who is right or wrong. The mediator’s job is to maintain objectivity and give both parties the necessary tools to resolve their conflicts.
Second, the mediator is unable to render you with legal counsel. Hire a consulting divorce lawyer or consultant to ensure that you are informed and your rights are upheld. By doing this, you will be fully prepared to confront legal challenges and consider all matters relating to your objectives.
Divorce Trainer:
A licensed divorce coach offers you emotional support and practical advice during your divorce. Your divorce coach will work with you to prioritize your difficulties, identify them, and develop a strategy for decision-making that will help you reach your objectives.
They are an essential component of a productive team that will support and empower you throughout this trying period. A divorce coach cannot and does not provide legal counsel. As a result, they might contact your divorce consultant when your legal issues require a full analysis from a qualified lawyer.
Therapist:
While you and your spouse go through your divorce’s financial and legal aspects, a therapist can carefully work with you and your partner to foster amicable communication.
Working with an experienced therapist can aid your growth and development because the mental and emotional effects can be debilitating. If you have children, you can work with your therapist as a family, with your partner, or independently.
Custody Professionals:
A child custody expert assists you in obtaining the best custody arrangements for your kids. Understandably, matters involving your children might arouse strong emotions and sometimes lead to tense disagreements.
Working with a custody expert can provide peace of mind because they will steer you through difficult conversations and remain laser-focused on finding the best outcome for your kids.
Benefits of Amicable Divorce
The word ‘divorce’ feels overwhelming in itself, let alone the entire process of going through it. Naturally, you would want to have a peaceful divorce process that does not take a toll on your body and mind.
Let us brief you of the reasons why you should pursue an amicable divorce.
Optimal For Your Kids
Divorce has been demonstrated to negatively affect children’s academic achievement, social interactions, and psychological growth.
Hearing their parents argue or yell at one another is not good for kids. A child’s mind can be severely damaged by parents criticizing their child’s parents in front of their kids.
When two partners decide to split amicably, they create better communication immediately and prevent their kids from psychological and emotional harm.
You’ll Cut Expenses
According to statistics, a divorce in the United States typically costs between $15,000 and $50,000.
Some divorces end up costing between $150,000 and $200,000 or more.
Couples can avoid expensive legal bills and years’ worth of court appearances by agreeing to divorce amicably and managing their finances responsibly.
Prevents Emotional Tiredness
Divorce is extremely draining, regardless of whether one person wants to stay in the relationship while the other is leaving or both are dissatisfied and ready to end things.
Both couples reduce tension, anxiety, and emotionally draining months of conflict by opting for a peaceful divorce resolution.
Couples divorcing also benefit from increased privacy, thanks to a civil divorce. It is common for other people, including friends, relatives, and legal experts, to get involved in contested divorces. This makes the private life of both spouses public.
Checklist For An Amicable Divorce
Amicable divorce checklist, which will make your process smooth.
- Choose a location for the kids’ residence. Although many parents divide custody 50/50, every family is different.
- Plan when and how they will see each of you in advance. Remember to discuss significant occasions; make plans for Christmas and birthdays.
- Make decisions about who will pay for what and how to finance the children’s lives, including school fees, sports, etc.
- Plan when and how other family members will interact with the kids.
- Make sure you agree on the raising guidelines by going over them.
- Choose whether to sell or maintain the family home. Determine who will live there and who will move if the family home remains.
- Determine how you will pay for the residences to recoup the other party’s equity.
- If both of you are listed on the mortgage, you will need to renegotiate the loan or sell the house to free the other spouse’s credit score from the burden of the mortgage debt.
- Decide how to distribute your personal property, including the automobile and the coffee maker. Get a set of pink and blue stickers if you’re still stumped. Flip a coin and decide who gets to choose first, then take turns walking about the house and sticking pink and blue stickers on different items to mark who gets what.
- Please find your savings, investments, and other resources, and decide how to share them. Include your financial advisor or other professionals who can assist you.
- Decide how to divide any other debts you have, such as overdrafts or credit card balances.
- Create a strategy for paying any associated divorce fees.
- Send in your divorce petition.
- Within X days, the opposing party must submit a written response and pay the responding filing fee.
- If you want to ensure that the agreements above are legally binding once the cooling-off period has passed, you should jointly seek a Consent Order. You must also provide a Joint Parenting Plan if you share minor children.
- Figure out whether to draft or update your wills.
- You should let all relevant institutions know if your marital status has changed or will change. This is especially valid for beneficiary information on your disability or life insurance contracts.
Hire a Divorce Attorney
However, a divorce counselor or other specialized professional should be your go-to source for advice on what will work best for you. Of course, you may need support along the amicable divorce process. You need to hire a lawyer, also known as a divorce consultant, even if you won’t be going to court, to assist you in settling your divorce amicably.
The critical economic advantage is controlling when and how often you work with your lawyer, avoiding the compounding legal bills everyday in litigation cases. Please be aware that to align your discussions to match your needs properly, you must hire a consultant before your mediation begins. You can confidently conclude by modifying your discussions as they progress to meet your objectives.