Even if your marriage is not working out as you intended, you may not want to battle your spouse in open court. Using an alternative approach to wrap up your marriage may not only preserve your sanity, but it may also save you some cash.
Divorce mediation is becoming increasingly popular with divorcing couples. Through this process, you and your husband or wife meet with a neutral mediator to find solutions to divorce-related issues. Here are three signs your soon-to-be ex-spouse may be open to mediating your divorce.
1. Your spouse has little or no animosity
Even without bitterness, resentment or infidelity, some marriages fail. If you and your spouse still get along relatively well, ending your marriage in a less adversarial way may be important to your husband or wife. Even if you cannot reach an agreement about everything, mediation may keep your spouse from becoming angry about your divorce.
2. Your spouse wants more money
If your husband or wife is already looking forward to a post-divorce future, he or she may want as much money as possible to spend on a new home, furnishings, a vacation or something else. Because mediation is often a cost-effective alternative to divorce, it may keep more money in your spouse’s pocket.
3. Your children are your spouse’s paramount concern
While your marriage is coming to an end, your spouse may want to share custody of your kids. Still, traditional divorce can take a tremendous toll on the emotional wellbeing of children. Because divorce mediation may be healthier for the young ones in your family, your spouse may be willing to take advantage of it.
While some divorcing spouses love the idea of ending their marriages through mediation, others prefer going through the court system. Ultimately, you may not know whether your spouse is open to mediation until you educate him or her about it.