Making Divorce a Win/Win Situation

 Posted on June 05, 2024 in Divorce

People who are getting divorced often want to “win” their cases or see divorce as a win/lose situation. Sometimes this is because people are afraid that losing means they will be left unable to meet their physical, financial, or emotional needs, like having a comfortable place to live or having access to their children. Other times, people are simply hurt by their spouses’ actions and wish to punish him or her by winning the divorce. However, if you are considering working towards an uncontested divorce through a collaborative process - which is usually much easier than going to court - you and your spouse should be open to win/win solutions. A Wheaton, IL collaborative divorce attorney can help you find solutions that work for both of you and your children.

Win/Win v. Win/Lose Solutions in Divorce

Divorce does not have to be an “all or nothing” contest. There are many ways spouses going through a divorce can resolve different issues in a way that both parties are happy with.

For example, if you and your spouse have children, both of you may initially want full or primary custody so that you see your child almost every day and the other parent does not. This is win/lose thinking. If the parent who got primary custody would need to spend more on childcare, you may have a lose/lose situation.

Instead, consider solutions that would allow both of you to spend a lot of time with your child. For example, could your child see both of you most days if you live near each other? If the other parent works from home or works nights, he or she could meet your child at the bus stop every day and care for him until you get off work a few hours later. That way, you both win - and so does your child.

Dividing property can also be done in a win/win manner, although this can be tricky as you cannot both keep the same asset. However, you can find solutions that benefit you both. For example, instead of one spouse winning the marital home, you might consider selling the house and dividing the proceeds so that you can each put a down payment or deposit on a new place to live.

Contact a DuPage County Collaborative Divorce Attorney

Andrew Cores Family Law Group is dedicated to helping spouses find creative divorce solutions. Our experienced Wheaton, IL uncontested divorce attorneys include several who are involved with major collaborative law organizations. Contact us at 630-871-1002 for a complimentary consultation.