If you’re thinking about divorce, you might be concerned about things getting nasty while paying piles of money to lawyers.  Many people don’t do these 3 things and the divorce often ends up costing much more than it needs to.

Here are 3 things you can do right now to keep things amicable and save you time, money, and aggravation in your divorce:

1.     Start the dialogue. 

You can start things off with your spouse on an amicable tone.  You might say “I think you’d agree that we’re making each other miserable.  I’m concerned if we keep going this way we’ll end up hating each other.” If you have children, you might offer “Our kids deserve better. They deserve to have two parents who are each happy, and not be destined to model what we’ve been like in our marriage.”

For more tips on how to tell your spouse you want a divorce, check out this post.  It can also be very helpful to try and come to an agreement on at least some of the issues in your divorce.  These often include child custody, parenting time, child support, college costs for children, alimony, and division of marital assets and debts.

2.     Inventory the financials.

Take stock of the assets and debts acquired during the marriage and the marital income and expenses.  Gather important documents like bank statements, tax returns, and financial statements for debts and assets including retirement plans. You might consult with your financial or tax advisor.  He or she can help you make important financial decisions like whether to keep or sell the home.

3.     Seek out a creative solution-oriented family law attorney.

You can save tens of thousands of dollars when you reach an out of court divorce settlement with your spouse.  An experienced settlement oriented divorce and family law attorney can expeditiously navigate the issues, solve problems, and effectively negotiate for you.  This can save you much time, money, and aggravation in your divorce.

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