Nobody ever plans to go through a divorce, especially not when they’re in their senior years, but everyone deserves to be happy regardless of their age. That said, if you’re older and proceeding with a divorce, you probably just want to get it over with. Luckily, you don’t have to get a divorce where you and your ex cut each other down. You can instead get an amicable divorce, which encourages respect and collaboration. As you might suspect, this type of divorce goes a lot faster too. If you need some direction, we put together a guide to getting an amicable divorce below. Read on to learn more.
It All Starts With Your Mindset
We know that at your age, the last thing you want to hear is that you need to change anything, let alone your mindset, but it’s true. It’s very easy to go into a divorce expecting to dominate the floor, but in reality, there’s no such thing as “winning a divorce.” Most of your hearings will be with your attorney, who will communicate directly with your ex’s attorney. If you want the divorce to process quickly with minimal hurt, you need to start by readjusting your mindset. Go into the divorce with the mindset of maintaining peace, respect, and a willingness to work together, and you’ll be much happier with the result.
Be Realistic
Far too many people go into a divorce expecting to take all their ex’s assets, but none of their debts. We hate to break it to you, but that’s simply unrealistic. Remember that your ex needs to survive and meet their basic needs as well. Additionally, if you took on debt during your marriage, both you and your ex will likely be responsible for equal repayment. Choosing an amicable divorce means you shouldn’t try to destroy your ex’s livelihood, even though you might want to.
Build a Support System
Whether you think the divorce is necessary or not, everyoneneeds a support system during a divorce. Whether you talk to friends or family, just make sure the people don’t have conflicting interests. For instance, you shouldn’t be talking to your grandkids because your ex is their other grandparent. Develop a support group that’s completely separate from your ex— they will help speak positivity into your life.
Consider Collaborative Divorce
Along with adjusting your mindset, one of the early decisions you must make is choosing the right process for an amicable divorce. You should consider collaborative divorce for several reasons, but the two simplest reasons are money and time. A collaborative divorce encourages you to work with your spouse. In other words, the process moves as fast as you allow it to. The faster it moves, the less money you have to spend.
It’s unfortunate that you’re planning to go through a divorce, but we hope you choose the amicable route. Our guide to getting an amicable divorce will help you get through the process quickly so you can be happy the way you deserve.
