Anyone who is going through a divorce will quite rightly experience a range of emotions, from anger to rage and back again. You should allow yourself to have these emotions, but only in a controlled setting. Remaining calm during the processes of the divorce can save you thousands.
Although it makes great TV, a court room with two angry lawyers, barristers present and a long stream of witnesses is going to set you back at least £50,000 and do untold damage to your social circles. We strongly advise that you avoid this situation.
The DIY divorce
You don’t have to hire lawyers at all when you decide on how to split your assets and the routines for your children. You can decide on these yourselves and file all the paperwork yourselves. However, the paperwork is not easy and many couples who attempt this waste time and money having their forms sent back again. At our family law firm in Cardiff, we offer a fixed fee service services to couples who want professional help to ensure they are getting everything right. This is the cheapest way to divorce, but it only works when the divorce isn’t contested and both parties remain calm.
Alternative divorce methods
Staying out the courts doesn’t mean going solo. You can use mediation or collaborative law if you can’t split your assets yourselves. You have to stay calm for these methods to work, but you will be ensured privacy and control over the division and the length of time it takes, so your fees don’t start to snowball.
Don’t aggravate your partner
Easier said than done, but your partner is much more likely to stay calm if you stay calm. If you aren’t at the stage where you can talk calmly to your partner face-to-face, stick to written communication. Often friends and family can unintentionally make matters worse, by declaring your ex as the enemy and wanting to wage war. It is sweet of them, but it won’t help you in the long run.
Accept division
In every divorce case, assets are divided. It is rarely 50-50, due to the nature of large assets, but no one walks away with everything. Find a calm time and decide on what is important to you and what you can let go of from your marriage. Accepting that you will have to make sacrifices before the divorce is finalised can help you to stay calm and speed up your divorce, saving you a lot of money.