Mediation. Collaborative Law. Litigation. DIY.

These are the major methods to get divorced. Which one should you use? You may have heard that it may make sense to choose mediation or collaborative law, perhaps because they are more amicable. But why?

Simply because you and your spouse may be able to craft a separation agreement with less acrimony and, potentially, less expense with a more amicable process. If that resonates, then you should consider these two methods.

Pro-se

What about pro-se? That is a Latin word that means DIY. That’s precisely what it means: your spouse and you navigate the process on your own. As for other DIY endeavors, it is going to be less expensive than hiring an experienced professional. However, divorce is a complicated legal, emotional, and financial process. Most people who divorce will only do one in their lifetime. You are likely to miss subtleties that an experienced professional may catch.

Litigation

And how about litigation? That is the default process, one that has been with us for a long time. It can be the right process for many couples, even though it is the most expensive method and potentially the lengthier one. There may not be a lot of choice because it only takes one party to start litigation. If you or your spouse get litigation rolling, it is difficult to get off that train. On the other hand, it will take both sides to agree to mediation or collaborative law.

Picking a divorce method is a critical step to take. It has potentially profound ramifications. Make sure you choose the right one. One place to start getting information is the Divorce Friday vodcast on January 22 at 11 AM on Facebook Live. Divorce Friday is the vodcast that addresses your financial questions on divorce. Diane Pappas, CDFA, and I will be exploring the different divorce methodologies, their advantages, and disadvantages. If you are seriously considering divorce or are in the midst of it, make sure to attend.