In Michigan, divorces involving children have a mandate six month waiting period before a Judgment can be entered.  The time is measured from the date of filing, not when the opposing party answers.

Fall is here and the holidays will be upon us—Halloween and Christmas being my personal favorites.

Navigating co-parenting agreements, your ex, your children, and competing schedules can make even the most level headed person see red.

One’s divorce in Michigan should certainly force them to review a number of different aspects of their life. Yet in all of the emotion that accompanies the dissolution of a marriage, one’s estate plans may be the furthest thing from their minds.

Not every Michigan divorce has to drain your bank account. If you and your ex are both willing, you may be able to work together one last time to end your marriage. If you are able to do so, you may also be able to save considerable money because of your willingness to cooperate.

Per U.S. News and World Report, you may be able to save more for your post-divorce life by opting for something called collaborative divorce. How does collaborative divorce work, and how does it have the potential to save you quite a bit of money?

A collaborative marriage dissolution typically begins with two spouses agreeing to negotiate a settlement on their own with the aid of their attorneys. As noted by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, by conducting the negotiation process out of court, divorcing couples may keep their personal and financial matters private.

A traditional divorce generally requires disclosing income and assets to the court. Rather than share those details in a courtroom setting, soon-to-be ex-spouses may maintain their privacy. Issues contributing to a breakup, for example, may stay out of the court’s database and not become part of a public record.

As parents going through a divorce, you have more to worry about than a childless couple. After all, your top priorities will likely revolve around ways to make this event as trauma-free as possible for them.

But is there any way to do that? Can you actually make divorce easier for your child to handle? And if so, how?

Deciding to get a divorce is just the first step in a long process. You want to sit down and figure out how to approach everything else moving forward. But the first thing you should do is figure out how to break the news to your child.

Is there a right way to do it? A way that mitigates the most damage? Or do you just have to test the waters as you go?

Interview by Megan Sarnacki, Grand Rapids Magazine, January 1, 2020

When you are a parent, the decision is far more difficult because you know that it will impact those that you love the most — your children.