What to Do

What to Do After Deciding to Get a Divorce

Uncontested Divorce Mediation

Everyone’s divorce story is different. Some couples divorce after being together for decades, while others part ways after a few months or years. Some marriages include children, so the divorces include parenting time, holidays and decision-making for the children. Other couples do not have children, so the divorce is just about the finances. Maybe the split was your idea, maybe it was your partner’s or perhaps you both agree divorce is the best option for both of you and your family. No matter how you got to this point in your marriage, the real question is now, where do you go from here? There is no urgency to make any rash decisions – you want to be as educated as possible so you can make these big decisions wisely, without regrets.

Making the Right Decisions About Your Divorce

At C.E.L. & Associates, our team is dedicated to explaining the different divorce options for you and your family. We realize nothing is more important than your family’s emotional, financial and mental health through this transition. We are here to help you.

At C.E.L. & Associates, our mission is to make the divorce process less stressful, so our divorcing couples can move on with their lives. We support couples through the mediation decision-making process, which makes the legal piece more efficient and saves them unnecessary legal fees. We also like to gather feedback from every one of our clients, so we can improve our process, and learn how to do it better. If you want to learn more about divorce mediation, please get in touch with us.

What to Do After Deciding on Divorce:

  • Soon after the divorce process begins, one might feel angry, overwhelmed or betrayed. Though it is easier said than done, the best thing to do is try to stay calm, so you can make good decisions. Hostile and vindictive decisions are not going to benefit anyone. To best serve your family’s interests, allow yourself time to cope with the intensity of the situation, so you can avoid making decisions based simply on emotions. During this period, make sure you understand your finances, both assets and debts.
  • Begin assembling copies of all financial statements/records, like your most recent federal and state tax returns, brokerage accounts, pay stubs, bank accounts, mortgage statements, credit card statements, insurance policies, retirement accounts, and verification of other marital assets. The more information you are able to collect and understand, the smoother your mediation and final settlement will be.
  • Research your options by speaking to an attorney about different ways to divorce. If you want to ensure your divorce is peaceful, cost-effective and results in a fair and reasonable settlement, while at the same time receiving personalized divorce support from a compassionate team of experts, choose C.E.L. & Associates divorce mediators for your divorce. Our divorce mediators, located in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, present you with the information you need, at this critical time, without losing control of your life to the legal process.
  • Begin preparing for your mediation session immediately.

C.E.L. & Associates has a different approach than an attorney whose legal responsibility is to advocate for only one party and his or her interests. We strive to educate our clients at each stage of the process and help them put aside their disagreements to manage and restructure their relationship going forward. That is our primary objective.

C.E.L. & Associates, Inc. is an Experienced Group of Divorce Mediators, Therapists & Parenting Coordinators in Chicago, Libertyville, Rolling Meadows, Northbrook, Kenosha, Crystal Lake, Naperville & Paddock Lake.

Contact Chicago’s parenting coordinator & divorce mediators at C.E.L. & Associates, Inc. for more details on divorce mediation services.