No one in their right mind wants to spend years of their lives, and tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars fighting a contested divorce. That’s probably why so many people start their divorce believing that it will be uncontested. They want to believe their divorce will be amicable. A few months later, they’re locked […]
10 Tips for How to Negotiate a Divorce Settlement That Doesn’t Suck
Most lawyers will tell you not to even try to negotiate a divorce settlement with your spouse. That’s because most lawyers believe that they can negotiate for you better than you can negotiate for yourself. Usually, they can … but not always. That’s because when your lawyer gets involved, your spouse’s lawyer gets involved. You […]
What to Do if Your Spouse Won’t Sign Divorce Papers
Few things are more frustrating than trying to divorce someone who doesn’t want to be divorced. While you may be baffled by why your spouse is digging in his/her heels about your divorce, it happens all the time. Knowing that, however, doesn’t help much when you want to get divorced, but your spouse won’t sign divorce papers. […]
How Understanding the Stages of Divorce Can Make Your Divorce Easier
Divorce sucks for a whole lot of reasons, not the least of which is that you have no idea what to expect. So much of what happens in divorce seems unpredictable and unfair. Yet, as every divorce professional knows, even though every divorce is different, there are definite stages of divorce. There are also stages […]
DIY Divorce : What to Do if You Have to Go to Court Without a Lawyer
Going to court without a lawyer is rarely a good idea. Getting divorced without a lawyer, where your children, your assets, and your future income are at stake, is a really bad idea. Yet, sometimes, you don’t have a choice. You may not have the money to pay a divorce lawyer. Or, your divorce lawyer may have […]
Understanding the Divorce Mediation Process: Why You Need a Mediator AND a Lawyer
“If I’m going to mediate my divorce, why do I need a lawyer, too?” It’s a logical question. Many mediators are lawyers. If you have a mediator who is also lawyer, it makes sense to assume that you don’t need to hire two people when one person alone could do the job. Unfortunately, one person […]
The 3 Most Important Questions in Divorce
The minute the word “divorce” enters your consciousness, your brain gets flooded with questions you never thought you were going to need to ask: “What do I do?” “Where will I live?” “What will happen to the kids?” “How do I find a lawyer?” All of those are important questions. But they are not the […]
New Year’s Endings: How to Prepare for Divorce
Maybe you just wanted to get through the holidays. Maybe the holidays were the last straw. Whatever the reason, January is boom time for divorce filings. Of course, it doesn’t really matter how many people file for divorce at this time of year. If it’s your marriage that is falling apart, the only thing you […]
The Secret Key to Minimizing Divorce Drama: Managing Expectations!
How do you think divorce – and specifically YOUR divorce if you are in the middle of one – should go? Should everything be amicable? Should you be able to get along for the sake of the kids? Or, do you think it is more likely that you and your spouse will be battling like […]
How to Set Your Divorce Timeline
Everything happens in its own time, but, when it comes to divorce, it seems like nothing happens on time! The legal system is notorious for being slow. What’s even worse is that, if you don’t understand how the legal system works, you have absolutely no idea what is going on, or what to expect. Needless […]