A seamless and fast divorce seems easy and nice in theory. However, this process can take a few months to several years depending on your relationship. That is why you need to understand how to get a divorce in an easy manner.
With the right strategies, you will discover that the divorce process should not always take longer. It is a misconception to think that the divorce process should always be messy and long.
How To Get A Divorce – 10 Tips
This article will be looking at the top tips on how to get a divorce. There are a few things that you can do to guarantee yourself a smooth process. Divorce is enough stress and you don’t want to put yourself under any other unnecessary pressure. Here are the top 10 tips on how to get a divorce and shorten the court time.
1. Prepare In Advance
As the saying goes, if you fail to prepare, you should definitely prepare to fail. This military adage also stands when dealing with court proceedings.
The law is quite confusing especially when dealing with stressful situations such as divorce. This confusion increases time as both parties reconvene to settle and backtrack.
However, as you spend more time learning about divorce laws, it will speed up the whole process. Besides, both you and your ex-spouse will be less confused.
2. Know What You Want
You have to strategize on the possible roadblocks to the divorce process like child custody arrangements and property division. This should be done before the official paperwork and negotiations begin. It is a tip that you should not miss on when it comes to how to get a divorce.
Sit with your partner and decide what you want for your house. If the woman does not work and the husband is the breadwinner, the court will want to make sure that she is comfortable after the divorce. Therefore, the husband can be forced to continue paying for the mortgage. Agreeing between yourself can help you to overcome the issue of emotional divorce.
3. Know The Current Tax Changes
You cannot avoid thinking about tax as you continue to prepare for the divorce. For instance, if your earning is higher than that of your spouse, you may find yourself paying more after the divorce because you belong to a higher tax bracket and vice versa.
You can also use the new tax status to be leverage as you negotiate alimony and child support. That is why it is a critical tip on how to get a divorce.
4. Know The Recent Laws
The period that a couple should have physical separation before finalizing the divorce process varies from one jurisdiction to another. However, the law can waive this requirement if you don’t have minor children in common.
There are so many laws that relate to the divorce process. It is good to have a clear understanding of these laws if you want to learn how to get a divorce. Some cases call for a legal dissolution while others don’t. The most important thing is to understand all the laws that relate to your case.
5. Prepare Together
It is good for you and your ex-spouse to prepare together before you file a case or go before the judge. It will help you to accommodate the needs of one another hence proceeding much quicker. This will also allow you to have some spiritual un-bonding before you finalize the divorce.
There is some cooperation that does not need a mediator or judge. With a friendly divorce, even a public coffee shop or kitchen table will work. Host these mutual meetings before you head to court. With this, there will be no time-consuming arguments or surprises in court.
6. Leverage Legal Consultations
Preparation does not tie you to the computer alone. Make good use of the free initial consultations that the local mediators and lawyers offer. When you speak to these professionals, whether in-person or by phone, you will get a “gut check” feeling in working with them.
The mediator or lawyer should be able to understand your circumstances and help you fight for what you need. It will help them answer the questions the way you would do throughout the process. Once the lawyer understands your case, you will be more relaxed.
It can take a while before you get a lawyer with who you will be comfortable with which is okay. As you sleep at night, you want to be sure that someone is taking care of the divorce and this will help you focus on other things in your life.
7. Review Various Types Of Divorces And Consider The Options That You Have
The fastest types of separation are mediation and uncontested divorce. If the two of you can agree on any of these, it will work best for both of you. It is among the best approaches on how to get a divorce.
In an uncontested divorce, the two parties agree on most if not all the divorce-related issues. The divorce can go faster because there is no back and forth in the process. Uncontested divorce has so many benefits to the participants but that is not ideal for everyone.
The court is involved minimally and hence you need to be on good terms with your ex-spouse to be able to negotiate for a separation. The issues to agree on include property, child custody and support, alimony, and the other things that you care about.
If you go for mediation, you will have a neutral third party to act as a referee in helping you settle the legal disputes. The divorce can either involve a lawyer or not as per the way you agree. The mediator cannot give you legal advice and that is why you may have to hire someone to represent you.
8. Communicate And Compromise
To understand how to get a divorce, you should learn to communicate and compromise. Saying this statement is easier than doing it. There are some possessions that both of you feel they are entitled to or mix accounts that you need to split fairly.
That is why you need to know what you should take and compromise. With the give-and-take spirit, the divorce process will run quickly and smoothly. Let your ex speak his or her priorities and listen to them.
9. Let The Lawyer Do All The Talking For You
If talking to your ex-spouse feels uncomfortable or they are unresponsive, get an attorney who understands your needs to represent you. The lawyer should make you confident and comfortable about how he handles your case. Therefore, you need to give the lawyer all the context and details so that they know your concerns.
10. Save Up Money
The divorce process can be extremely expensive. If you feel like you are heading towards a divorce, start saving money early enough. There is no way you will move to the next step unless you have the money to finance the process. If you don’t have funds, it will make the divorce take longer.
Invest in a lawyer who will be able to make the divorce timeline shorter. Even if the fee of the lawyer is higher than what you pay an average lawyer, you will save more by paying for fewer hours.
Conclusion
These are the top tips on how to get a divorce. The choices that you make will determine the overall timeline of the divorce. Follow the above tips and you will save a lot of time and money in the long run.
