Divorce often involves litigation, but it doesn’t always. A rising number of couples choosing to end their marriages choose not to litigate or fight in court about their property or the terms of their shared custody arrangements.
Instead, they work with one another outside of court with their own attorneys to retain control over their property and their family schedules. Collaborative divorce sees spouses cooperating with one another instead of fighting against each other. There are many benefits to collaborating, any of which might convince you to try this more peaceful approach to divorce yourself.
You can protect what matters most to you
Do you feel like it is critical for you to stay in the marital home because you have more parenting time with your kids? Do you want to protect your professional practice or small business above any other property?
Only you know what terms and concessions are the most important to you when you end your marriage. Collaborative divorce gives you the opportunity to focus on securing those terms while compromising in other areas that matter less to you.
Collaborative divorce takes the strain off of children
Psychological research about divorce is quite clear. The more conflict there is between parents, the harder the whole process is for the children. They are more likely to suffer long-term consequences from the divorce and to act out aggressively toward parents, teachers or other caregivers.
In a collaborative divorce, the children don’t have to attend court or make any statements about their custody preferences. Instead, they get to see their parents working together, which can make the divorce less painful for them.
Dealing with the details outside of court will keep costs lower
Divorce is expensive, and the more you litigate, the higher the price goes. When you collaborate outside of court, even if you have to bring in another professional, like a mediator, your costs will likely stay much lower than they would if you had to handle all those issues in court.
Although it can be hard to sit down and negotiate with your spouse, recognizing the benefits of collaborative divorce can give you the motivation you need to commit to that process.