Divorce is a stressful event for most people. This is understandable. After all, it’s a major financial transaction that can have serious ramifications for your future for years or even decades to come. It can also have a profound impact on your relationship with your children. With so much hanging in the balance, you need to make sure that you’re walking into your settlement talks with a clear strategy. Here are a few ways to build that strategy:
- Know your non-negotiable areas: There are going to be certain things that you absolutely need post-divorce. This is often some sort of financial resource, whether a specific retirement or bank accounts, or maybe even the family home. Know what these items are going in so that you know when to walk and you won’t be pushed into an agreement that doesn’t work for you.
- Know your spouse’s non-negotiable areas: If you know what your spouse can’t live without, then you might have a lot of leverage going into settlement negotiations. If used wisely, these areas may position you well for your post-divorce life.
- Identify what everyone wants: If you know what you want and what your spouse wants, without necessarily needing, then you can identify where the biggest areas of negotiation are going to occur. This allows you to hone in on those particular assets that are important to each individual and to both so that you can develop a clear tactic that sets you up to acquire your fair share of assets.
- Be mindful of your tone: If you want your divorce negotiations to be successful, then you should be careful about how you talk to your spouse and otherwise act during settlement talks. Giving off the wrong attitude can quickly shut down talks by sending them spiraling into an area where emotions take hold. Certainly don’t be a pushover, but try to find a balance between being firm without being overly aggressive, mean, or belittling.
Seek legal help for developing your strategy
There’s no one-size fits all approach when it comes to handling divorce negotiations. That’s why you might benefit from assistance in developing the unique strategy that works best in your circumstances. If you think that you want help in this area, then consider reaching out to a legal team that has extensive experience assisting Jackson-area residents in securing the post-divorce life they want.