The prospect of a divorce is a pretty stressful and scary thing, and one that many people assume won’t happen to them. They say that half of all marriages end in divorce (the actual number for first marriages is 41%), but if people believed that they probably wouldn’t get married to begin with. The point is, no one thinks they’re going to get divorced. If you think you and your spouse are headed that direction, you should start exploring things you can do rather than immediately serving each other with divorce papers.
1. Counseling
One of the most common solutions for couples who are having trouble in their marriage is to turn to counseling before they resort to the divorce process. It helps to have an objective party outside of the situation to help and to talk to, for you and your spouse. Additionally, counselors are professionals who have experience helping couples through problems. You don’t have to try to sort things out yourselves, and there is nothing wrong with accepting help.
2. Living apart
Another option to try before getting divorced is to live apart for a short while. The laws surrounding ownership of property, assets, and debts vary by state, so it’s probably worth asking divorce lawyers in your area to advise you on what to do next. This gives you and your spouse an opportunity to try living apart without making any huge decisions and time to sort out the issues in your marriage. This also give you time to have preliminary consultations with divorce lawyers and shoot for an uncontested divorce — just in case you do decide to go ahead with the divorce process.
Are you considering any of these options rather than getting a divorce? Feel free to share your thoughts and experience with us in the comments section below.
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