Modern divorce doesn’t have to be contentious

When you had to provide a reason for your divorce and note that someone was at fault, it made it rather contentious. You essentially had to say that your spouse did something — like being unfaithful to the marriage — that made you want to end the relationship. Even if that allegation was true, people often don’t take kindly to being singled out in that way.

No-fault divorce laws helped to change that. All you have to do now is say that you have some differences, you can’t fix them and the only solution is to end it. You do not have to blame yourself or your spouse. You do not have to specify what differences you have or why. Essentially, you have to do little more than tell the court that you want to get divorced, and they’ll grant it.

While those who are against divorce have bemoaned making it easier, the truth is that this change can also make it far less contentious. You don’t have to look at your divorce as something where you and your spouse are on opposite sides. It does not have to feel like an argument.

Instead, you now have the option to look at divorce as an end you can work toward together, just the same way that you worked to plan your marriage. Now you want to break things off, and you can cooperate and make plans to put your future and your children first. This can result in a far less stressful divorce with better results.

As you do that work to end your marriage, you want to make sure you know what steps to take.