5 alternatives to divorce before ending your marriage

No one enters a marriage thinking of ending it someday. To ensure that the relationship turns out to be a successful one, people give their hundred percent for it.

Still, despite all the love, sacrifices, compromises, and adjustments, many marriages fail to stand the test of time.

If you are someone who is contemplating ending your marriage, you should first consider alternatives to divorce.

Here is a look at some of them.

1. Counseling

A positive and often effective divorce alternative is acknowledging and accepting the need for outside help. A solution to divorce could help save your marriage with hard and dedicated work. If you haven’t thought about this, it can be worth trying. At least you will know you have it your best before deciding to end things, and there will be no regrets. Also, counseling can help you understand each other’s perspectives and be civil with each other, no matter what you end up deciding.

2. Separation

If you do not want to end your marriage, judicial separation is a good option. It will not legally terminate your marriage but only release you from the obligation of living together. This generally doesn’t impact the family’s finances. Hence, property and financial accounts continue to be owned by both spouses.

3. Mediation

If you are ready to go for a divorce, but looking to keep the legal fees to a minimum, you can opt for mediation as an alternative to divorce. In this, a neutral party assists the spouses in a property division, financial support, and custody. It can help protect you from courtroom drama and lawyer’s expenses.

4. Collaborative divorce

Similar to mediation, collaborative divorce is a less time and money-consuming option. It includes couples working out an agreement without going to court. Each person involved needs to sign an agreement that requires lawyers.

5. Conscious uncoupling

Although not legally binding, this process helps keep the peace and dissolve a marriage with minimal scarring. It resembles therapy and aims to decrease emotional fallout for the partners and their children, making sure the family works through a difficult thing like a divorce without destroying the bonds in the process.