When a Colorado spouse knows their marriage has come to an end, telling the other spouse they want a divorce can be one of the most difficult things they’ve ever had to do. A recent column on a national news website gave some suggestions for how to break the news.
Timing is critical. A spouse may already know the best time to bring up a difficult subject. Bringing it up when both spouses are calm and have time to think and talk is ideal; the beginning of a weekend may be a good time.
It is important not to blindside the other spouse. In many marriages the news won’t be a surprise. But if it is, the other spouse may react with disbelief or anger. It’s important to be ready for that. One should be calm and serious, and speak directly but with kindness.
A spouse contemplating divorce may want to meet with an attorney before bringing up the subject with the other spouse. Having some basic information about what lies ahead is important. It can also make for a more informed discussion when the time comes to tell the other spouse.
Spouses who are about to go through a divorce have a lot of difficult decisions ahead, especially if there are children involved or the couple has a lot of assets. For divorcing parents, issues of child custody and parenting time need to be negotiated and addressed. In a high asset divorce, the process of asset valuation and division can be lengthy and complicated. Telling one’s spouse is difficult, but once it’s done the process of ending the marriage and moving on to new, separate lives can begin.
Source: Huffington Post, “How To Tell Your Spouse That You Want A Divorce,” Susan Pease Gadoua, Aug. 4, 2014
