Married couples who recognize that their relationship is not in a healthy place have numerous options in Ohio if they want to go their separate ways. Perhaps the fastest and least stressful choice involves marital dissolution. Dissolution, unlike divorce, does not involve litigation where spouses fight each other in court. Instead, they reach agreements on all major matters and move forward with dissolution through mutual agreement.
For many couples contemplating an Ohio dissolution, the biggest obstacle in their way is splitting up their marital property. How can those preparing for dissolution overcome current disagreements about what should happen with their assets?
Create a comprehensive inventory
One of the most valuable first steps couples can take when preparing to negotiate a property division settlement for dissolution would be to establish exactly what resources and financial obligations they need to divide. The marital estate includes not just the income people earned while married and the property they purchased with that money but also the financial obligations taken on during the marriage, like credit card balances. Spouses may want to work together to create that inventory of assets, or they may each choose to keep a list and then work together to combine them.
Prioritize fairness
Property division laws in Ohio require that judges handling a divorce seek to divide marital property in a reasonable and fair matter. Couples preparing for divorce will typically need to utilize a similar approach, particularly because they need to agree with one another on the final terms. People may need to release their emotional attachment to certain assets and employ a pragmatic approach where they look at the value of different marital resources. Thinking about long-term needs and recovery from the divorce can be a more effective approach than prioritizing one’s emotional responses at the moment.
Those who are willing to compromise and who understand that they will need to make some concessions will typically have an easier time working out property division disagreements so that they can pursue an Ohio dissolution. Learning more about what couples must undergo to pursue a dissolution may help people make use of this low-conflict solution in response to a marriage that has run its course.