There’s a chance that you’ll find a peaceful way to resolve your legal issues during your divorce negotiations. But simply because you’re trying to dissolve your marriage without unnecessary conflict doesn’t mean that you have to sit back and let your spouse take charge.
In fact, if you don’t advocate for yourself in a calm and respectful fashion, then you could lose out on those things that are most important to you in your divorce.
Therefore, before heading into your divorce settlement negotiations, you need to develop a plan for how to get the most out of the process. But how do you go about doing that? Let’s take a closer look so that you have a better idea of the steps you can take to protect yourself during settlement talks.
Tips for getting the most out of your divorce settlement
The dynamics of your divorce negotiations are going to be unique, meaning that you’ll need to tailor your approach to the facts and the personalities at hand. That said, there are some tips that you can implement to ensure that you get a fair outcome in your negotiations. Here are some of them:
- Know what you need post-divorce: Before sitting down at the negotiating table, you need to have an idea of what your post-divorce life will look like. That way you’ll understand what you need to get by and live the life you want. Creating a post-divorce budget can be helpful here, but also think about your life goals. You can discuss these with your spouse so that you have targets to work towards during your negotiations. That way your settlement talks have direction, and you and your spouse can work collaboratively to position you for post-divorce success.
- Know which assets are in play: In some divorces, disputes arise over which property is marital in nature and which is individually owned. In other instances, spouses try to hide assets from each other so that they’re not subjected to the property division process. You need to get a handle on these assets so that you can loop the appropriate ones into the process and exclude those that you individually own. Only then can you advocate for your fair share of the marital estate.
- Pick your battles: You don’t have to disagree with everything your spouse says or wants. If you can identify those assets or issues that are most important to your spouse, then you can identify areas where you can give in to let your spouse win in exchange for things that you want. This give and take can lead to a more positive outcome and reduce the amount of stress that you experience in your divorce.
- Highlight unexpected costs: Divorce isn’t just about property division and child custody. There’s a good chance that you’re going to face additional issues post-divorce that need to be taken into account when addressing your divorce legal issues. For example, if you’re on your spouse’s insurance plan, then you might be forced to buy coverage in the marketplace, which can be quite expensive. This will need to be taken into account when figuring out how to divide marital assets. Take these extra considerations into account as you develop your divorce negotiation strategy.
Develop the divorce negotiation strategy that positions you for success
We know you have a lot on your mind as head into your divorce. And though you might want to get the process over with as quickly as possible, you can’t let your desire to avoid conflict put your future in jeopardy. So, take the time necessary to develop the sound divorce legal strategy you need to protect your interests and set yourself on a path towards a successful post-divorce life.