Too Busy to Get Divorced?

The pandemic has played some cruel tricks on relationships. Too much stress. Too much anxiety from worrying about jobs, kids and trying to stay healthy. Too much time together without a break. The result is a whole lot of people who can’t wait to get out of their unhappy marriages. One of the ironies of Divorce is that no matter how unhappy you and your spouse may be, it requires a significant effort to get even an uncontested, or amicable, divorce.

A woman from Concord, Shelley, who had filed for a Divorce nearly a year ago recently came into Walnut Creek office and wanted to know if we could help her. She and her spouse had tried a do-it-yourself (DIY) Divorce, but their economics didn’t fit the DIY mold. She’s not alone. Trying to equally divide your life and how you will share the raising of your children requires some heavy lifting.

Like many Bay Area women, her life is a constant juggling act

Shelley has two children under 12 who are involved in a variety of activities. She has a good job, but works long hours and her husband works for a nonprofit. By the time she deals with the challenges of her job, her kids and running her home, she’s exhausted and can’t seem to find time to focus on the Divorce, and her husband isn’t much help.

Disclosure: A listing of assets and liabilities

Shelley and her husband agree that they want a divorce, so they will identify the assets and liabilities that constitute their financial status. The next step will be to determine how they will split their assets and share the responsibility for their debts.

For their two children, there must be a parenting plan

The more thought and care that goes into this, the more successful the parenting plan will be. Shelley and her husband tried to stick to their kids’ existing routines as much as possible. They’ll need to decide:

• If they’ll share legal custody or if one will have sole physical and legal custody. Will one of them keep the family home? If so, that ensures that the kids remain in the same neighborhood and school. This is a tricky one. Owning and maintaining a home in the Bay Area can be challenging on a single income.
• Who will be responsible for the kids’ health insurance, for transportation to and from activities, from doctor and dental appointments?
• Where their kids will spend school holidays and summer vacations?
• Who will buy their clothes and deduct them on their income tax?

While a parenting plan will evolve as children grow, the more thoughtful and complete, the better the family will adapt.

We created a project plan and a timeline for the Divorce to be finalized

Guideway identified tasks and a timeline for Shelley and her husband to complete them. They now know exactly what they need to do and have set a goal to be divorced by September. We were delighted to provide the structure and accountability that got Shelley’s Divorce back on track.

There’s a better solution: Guideway 

Guideway has been assisting Bay Area couples with their Divorces for more than 15 years. If you and your spouse can reach agreement on division of assets and liabilities and a parenting plan, you don’t need an attorney, and we can save you a significant amount of money.
Divorce can seem overwhelming, but it’s a very methodical process. Most of our clients have a pretty good idea how they are going to divide their property and share custody of their children. They may not have worked out the details, but they know they are willing to reach agreement—and that’s the critical component of an amicable Divorce.

Best of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents. Schedule an appointment with Guideway today.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.