When you and your spouse decide it’s time for a divorce, how do you divide your assets? Do you need a court to approve your parenting plan? Will you or your spouse need spousal support? The process can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to go through it alone.
Our collaborative divorce lawyer in McKinney, TX, can help you through the collaborative divorce process to negotiate acceptable terms in your divorce with your spouse. Call us at J Lowe Law today at 214-310-1491 to schedule a consultation with our experienced divorce lawyer in McKinney, TX.
What Is Collaborative Divorce?
Most people understand what traditional divorce is regarding court proceedings and negotiating terms for property division, child custody, child support, and alimony (called “maintenance” in Texas). Some people have heard of mediation, a process where a mediator carries terms back and forth between spouses until they can reach an agreement.
So what is a collaborative divorce? The collaborative divorce process is an option that falls between mediation and going to court for a divorce. Collaborative divorces often seek guidance from financial specialists and child specialists called “neutrals.”
Both you and your spouse will have your own lawyers. However, collaborative divorces don’t go to court. Our collaborative divorce attorneys at J Lowe Law can help you file an Agreed Final Decree of Divorce to end your marriage amicably about out of court.
How Is the Collaborative Divorce Process Different from Going to Court for Divorce?
The primary way that collaborative divorce is like a contested divorce in court is that both spouses have an attorney. Otherwise, the two procedures are very different. Differences include:
- Property division each party considers fair. Texas is an equitable distribution state. That means that the court will consider several factors about the divorce and divide shared property according to what it considers fair. In a collaborative divorce, you and your spouse may reach an agreement you find more equitable than what the court might decide.
- Agreed-upon parenting time for child custody and visitation. Courts consider a child’s interests when deciding about child custody and visitation. However, the court can also be strict about enforcing custody and visitation rights, limiting both parents’ time with their child and ability to pursue career opportunities, extended vacations, or contract jobs.
- Reasonable child support agreements. Courts consider many factors when determining child support payments but are not always reasonable in their expectations of a paying parent’s capability to pay. You and your spouse may come to a more affordable arrangement with a better chance of making payments on time.
- Reasonable spousal maintenance agreements. If a spouse gave up a career, school, or promotion to benefit the family, the higher-earning spouse should pay some amount in maintenance to make up the difference in current and prospective earnings and maintain the lower-earning spouse’s lifestyle.
- No formal discovery period. Civil litigation has a discovery period where both attorneys formally request information about the other spouse’s finances, assets, and other data. There is no formal discovery in collaborative divorce. The finance and child specialists help you and your attorneys acquire and understand relevant information and documentation.
Collaborative Law vs. Mediation
Despite negotiating divorce terms outside of court, collaborative divorce isn’t exactly like mediation, either. In mediation, both spouses use a neutral third party as the mediator to help them negotiate the terms of their divorce. In a collaborative divorce, each party has their own attorney. Additionally, the neutrals can advise the attorneys and their clients on aspects of the divorce.
Advantages of Collaborative Divorce
When you contact our collaborative divorce lawyer in McKinney, TX, you’ll learn more about the potential benefits of collaborative law, including:
- Collaborative divorce often costs less than divorce proceedings in court
- You have an attorney representing your interests
- Your divorce terms stay private (court proceedings become a matter of public record)
- You have more control over the terms of your divorce
- Collaborative proceedings often take less time to settle court proceedings
- You can assess the terms of your divorce according to your interests
- You keep your divorce civil rather than litigious
Downsides of Collaborative Divorce
There are some potential downsides to collaborative divorce over mediation or uncontested divorce, including:
- Potentially high costs from lawyer fees and paying neutrals for their time
- Requiring agreement to the process from both parties
- Lessening your bargaining power for certain assets or support if you have a better chance of awards from the court
What to Consider in Your Collaborative Divorce
Most divorces have many aspects to consider for your case. In your divorce, you need to consider what matters most to you. Do you care about keeping the family home, retaining custody of your children, accepting maintenance payments from your spouse while you go back to school, or other factors?
Dividing Assets and Debts
Spouses each have a right to claim certain assets in property division. In court, the judge often divides both assets and debts by considering specific factors, such as:
- Length of the marriage
- Contributions to the home by either spouse
- Age, health, and mental condition of each spouse
- Earning capacity of each spouse
- Income of each spouse
- Separate assets
- Cause of the divorce
- Other discrepancies between earnings, contributions, lifestyle, and responsibilities
Judges also often consider which spouse is the primary custodian of any minor children when determining which spouse keeps the marital home. If one spouse keeps the home, the court often gives the other spouse a larger share of other marital assets.
You and your spouse should consider similar factors when negotiating a fair division of marital assets and debts.
For example, if your spouse has a gambling addiction that they didn’t tell you about until after the marriage, and they have squandered marital assets by gambling, should you share the debts? In this case, our team at J Lowe Law can help you negotiate that your spouse should retain 100% of their gambling debts but take a larger portion of the shared assets to address the debt.
Child Custody and Support
The court also considers the interests of the child when making determinations for child custody and support. However, the court can also make so many demands of the non-custodial supporting parent that the custodial parent rarely sees the benefit of the award.
As your collaborative divorce lawyers, we can help you negotiate agreeable terms to ensure that you still see your child even if you are not taking custody.
Spousal Support
If either spouse earns significantly less than the other, negotiating maintenance might be more agreeable in a collaborative divorce than in court. Spousal support is a tool to ensure the lower-earning spouse can maintain their standard of living.
You and your spouse can determine how long payments last, such as up to one year after completing a degree program, until remarriage by the supported spouse, or a specific amount of time, such as for ten years after the divorce.
Contact Our Collaborative Law Divorce Attorney in McKinney, TX
Collaborative divorce is an excellent option for divorcing spouses when the split is generally amicable and both you and your spouse are willing to negotiate. When you need a lawyer from a collaborative practice on your side, call us at J Lowe Law at 214-310-1491 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with our collaborative divorce lawyer in McKinney, TX.
5 Key Insights into How Collaborative Divorce Works
A McKinney, TX collaborative divorce lawyer knows how divorce can drastically change the lives of individuals and affect their families in many ways. However, there is an alternative approach that seeks to mitigate these challenges – collaborative divorce. This method prioritizes cooperation and understanding over confrontation and hostility. If you’re contemplating this path, delve into the following five crucial aspects to gain a comprehensive understanding of how collaborative divorce works:
Mutual Agreement and Commitment
Collaborative divorce hinges on an essential foundation – the mutual commitment of both parties to resolve their differences amicably. Spouses and their lawyers can work together and be transparent with one another so that they can navigate the process smoothly. This commitment underscores the importance of open communication and constructive engagement, promoting an environment conducive to reaching a mutually beneficial resolution.
Team of Professionals
A collaborative divorce, as a McKinney collaborative divorce lawyer can explain involves multiple parties and professionals. Alongside attorneys, this team often includes mental health experts, financial advisors, and child specialists. Each professional brings their unique insights to address the emotional, financial, and legal dimensions of the divorce. This collaborative approach ensures a holistic strategy that considers every angle of the situation.
Open Communication and Problem-Solving
Collaborative divorce involves open communication and active problem-solving that encourages compromise. Instead of adversarial negotiations, both parties engage in constructive discussions facilitated by their respective attorneys. This approach facilitates a deeper understanding of each other’s perspectives, allowing for compromises and agreements that cater to both parties’ needs and concerns. By encouraging cooperation, collaborative divorce fosters a more harmonious atmosphere, which can significantly ease the transition for all involved.
Focus on Children’s Well-Being
Children can make the divorce process much more complicated, and it can be hard for both parents to come to an agreement on what decisions are best for them. Child specialists often join the collaborative team to ensure that the children’s viewpoints and interests are considered in the decision-making process. Collaborative divorce seeks to create a parenting plan that prioritizes stability, positive co-parenting dynamics, and the emotional needs of the children. By keeping the children’s best interests at the forefront, this approach strives to minimize the adverse effects of divorce on them.
Customized Solutions
Collaborative divorce encourages specific solutions that are suitable for each party. This method acknowledges that each couple’s situation is unique and offers the flexibility to craft agreements that cater to specific needs and preferences. Whether it’s dividing assets, determining spousal support, or addressing other critical matters, collaborative divorce facilitates creative solutions that are both fair and practical.
Connect With A Lawyer Now
In a world where adversarial divorce proceedings often contribute to heightened stress and prolonged legal battles, collaborative divorce presents a refreshing and constructive alternative. By choosing this approach, couples can mitigate the emotional toll, financial strain, and potential harm to children. Through mutual commitment, professional collaboration, open dialogue, and personalized solutions, collaborative divorce offers a pathway to a more harmonious separation. Learn more about divorce and what to expect by contacting a skilled McKinney collaborative divorce lawyer from J Lowe Law near you.