What Is an Amicable Divorce?
An amicable divorce refers to a civil divorce involving spouses that agree to avoid fighting and work out an agreement on property division, child support, child custody/visitation, alimony, and other terms reasonably. While spouses may not remain friends once the divorce is finalized, they agree to remain friendly while the divorce is ongoing.
7 Keys to a Peaceful Divorce
If you and your partner are considering or have filed for divorce, you may be wondering if it’s possible to have an amicable divorce. Here are seven tips that can help you smoothly navigate the divorce process and have an amicable divorce:
- File an uncontested, no-fault divorce. Legally, an amicable divorce is considered an uncontested divorce, which occurs when spouses work together to determine favorable divorce terms and file for divorce. While you may wish to be amicable in your contested divorce, that can sometimes be difficult as evidence and cases must be built against your partner during the case. For example, if you file on fault-based grounds, you will have to prove that your claims are true; by claiming adultery, desertion, cruel treatment, or other fault-based grounds, you will have to submit photos, videos, or testimonies that prove that, which can lead to tension. Similarly, in your contested divorce, you can submit evidence to the court to influence their determinations on the terms you cannot agree on, which can lead to conflict.
- Prioritize the needs of your children. If you have children, you may be worried about the divorce will affect them. Children often struggle to adapt to divorce and navigate the process when there is parental conflict and fighting, especially in front of them. To have an amicable divorce, remembering that your children benefit from less tension can help you model to your children what it’s like to be respectful, resilient, and cooperative.
- Be kind to yourself and others. Even if your divorce is amicable, you can struggle with anger and disappointment as well as have days where you are less than agreeable with the process or the other party. Be kind to yourself even if you struggle and take time to come to peace with yourself and your situation.
- Do your homework. To ease the divorce process, you should look into your state laws concerning divorce, a skilled attorney, and information concerning what the process will look like going forward. By having an idea of your options and what to expect, you can alleviate some stress, which can help you feel and be more agreeable.
- Prioritize self-care. You should take time to relax and recharge before, during, and after your divorce. Getting divorced can have an impact on your financial, mental, and emotional health, and to avoid running out of gas, you need to take time for yourself. If you are drained emotionally or mentally, you may struggle to negotiate terms or to not assign blame/fight with your spouse.
- Identify your financial and personal goals. It is important that you know what your goals are for the divorce—and not just in terms of having an amicable divorce. What are your financial goals and needs in terms of property and debt division? Do you need alimony or child support? How would you like to divide child custody? You should also consider what areas you are willing to compromise on; having an idea of your goals and areas of flexibility can better enable you to work with your partner towards a mutually beneficial agreement.
- Retain the services of Cairns Law Offices. Our firm helps couples obtain no-fault, uncontested divorces in Pennsylvania for only $299 including court and legal fees. We are committed to helping clients peacefully and quickly dissolve their marriage, and using our Divorce Wizard, you can easily file for divorce online.
Let us help you peacefully navigate the divorce process. Call (888) 863-9115 or reach out online today to get started on your no-fault, uncontested divorce.
