It can be challenging to trust your soon-to-be ex-spouse to be fair and transparent, especially if they have proved untrustworthy during the marriage, which may have led to the divorce. However, trust can be necessary during a divorce, especially an uncontested one.
Here are three areas where trust is critical:
1. Property division
During property division, you and your spouse will provide lists of your marital assets. Your lists should have the same properties. Your spouse should not hide assets by:
- Withdrawing large amounts of cash
- Giving people expensive gifts
- Transferring money to offshore accounts
- Paying huge family loans
- Using digital platforms like cryptocurrencies to hide money
If you can trust the financial statements your spouse presents, you can benefit from an uncontested divorce. However, if their statements don’t add up or they can’t account for an asset missing on their list, you may have a good reason for mistrust. Accordingly, you may need to consider handling the process in court.
2. Child custody
If your divorce involves kids, you should be able to trust that your spouse has their best interest. If you can agree on child custody matters and can create a reasonable parenting plan, considering each other’s work schedules and the kids’ schedules and needs (personal, medical and educational), you can have a smooth experience outside court.
3. Negotiations
Your requests and opinions need to be heard in order for an uncontested divorce to work. It can be impossible to advocate effectively for a fair settlement if you’re subjected to bullying or intimidation by your spouse during negotiations
A lack of trust can lengthen a divorce due to conflicts. If you and your spouse can be honest about the matters discussed above and more, your process may be faster and more manageable through an uncontested divorce. It will be best to get legal guidance to make informed decisions.
