Ending a marriage has many ups and downs, but the end goal is always the same — to get the best possible divorce settlement for the situation. You will likely face many challenges and hurdles along the way to reaching that goal. By being mindful of what the future might hold, you can better navigate the divorce process.

It is important to remember that every divorce is different. Taking advice from friends and loved ones about what worked well in their divorces might not be applicable to your own situation. Instead, consider some of the following.

Making your divorce work

Chances are that you did not decide to divorce because of how well you and your ex get along. Despite this, approaching divorce with a willingness to cooperate and be as reasonable as possible can help things go much more smoothly. This approach can be vital during even complex divorce matters, including:

  • Child custody and support
  • Alimony
  • Property division

As a parent, you should also strive to center your child in all matters related to him or her. This means that child custody should focus entirely on his or her well-being rather than your own preferences or wishes. Taking this stance also allows you to stand up on his or her behalf if your ex is trying to center him- or herself in custody proceedings.

Avoiding issues

While divorce can be a period of emotional upheaval, it can also be a welcome time for growth and changes. There are some changes you should avoid making during the divorce process, though. For example, you will only complicate matters if you accept a job in a different state or make plans to move to a new country before your divorce is final.

You should also avoid trying to hide any assets from the property division process. This includes temporarily gifting assets to friends or family with the intention of taking it back once everything is final. Most judges do not look kindly on hiding assets as it makes it impossible to secure an equal division of marital assets.

Divorce is just as much an emotional process as it is a legal one. This can make it difficult to navigate a divorce to the most satisfying end possible. However, you may find that learning more about how divorce works in California can give you the confidence to move forward with the process.