Kentucky residents who are going through a divorce may feel that negotiating a final divorce settlement is a daunting task. There are several ways to make the process easier for everyone involved.
An important first step for anyone facing divorce is to spend time studying their finances. This is essential before entering into any negotiations regarding alimony, child support or property division.
Having a clear idea in mind of each spouse’s expectations is another important step in the negotiation process. Divorce litigants should understand their spouse’s wants and desires as well as their own. It is a good idea to make a list of what objectives in the divorce are the most important, such as obtaining primary custody of the children or being awarded certain items in the marital estate.
Knowing the best and worst possible outcomes is also important when facing divorce. Many spouses cannot agree on issues like child custody and will need to attend mediation or allow a judge to decide what arrangement is best for the children.
A divorce attorney may be able to help guide clients through the process of mediation and litigation if the parties are unable to reach an out-of-court settlement. A divorce attorney may be able to help clients develop a good idea of what they can reasonably expect to get out of a divorce settlement. For example, child support is usually calculated according to the income of the parties regardless of how it will be spent.
An attorney may also be able to help clients negotiate an agreed settlement. The advantage of negotiating a settlement is that each spouse will be able to ask for the items in the final order that are most important to them. Reaching an agreement prior to trial may substantially reduce the costs of litigation and help the parties and witnesses avoid an emotional battle in court.