You’ve sat down with your spouse and your lawyers, and it’s almost sure that you’re getting a divorce. It’s an amicable agreement, and there is no bad blood between you two. It sounds like nothing will change, which is the best situation if you have a child together, but the reality is there are still some things to think about.
First things first: who will have to leave the home you built together? These are some of your arrangement options:
Selling the House
If you and your former spouse want a fresh start, you may decide to just sell the house and divide the profits equally. It’s a good idea that eliminates all the fighting that could happen if both of you want to stay, but you do not want to stay together. By selling the shared property, you both get some money out of it, and no one will be left looking for a new home without the means to pay for it.
Former couples may also decide to sell the house if one of them wants to move out of Colorado Springs but think it’s unfair to not get anything out of the shared property. It’s a property that should be divided accordingly, and unless the other parent intends to buy off the other’s share in the house, the whole property has to be sold.
Both Parents Moving Out
Any child custody attorney in Colorado Springs will remind divorcing couples to put the best interest of the child on top of their priorities. In some instances, this means not selling the house. That, however, cannot guarantee that both parents will remain cordial with one another if one of them stays behind and the other has to move out. One solution is co-parenting, with both parents looking for separate dwellings but with rotating schedules on when to stay with the child at home.
This is ideal if you don’t want to disrupt the life of the child that is anchored to the house. Moving the child with you may not sit well with the other parent, but having the child stay put could be a way to meet in the middle.
No One Moves Out
For couples who are divorcing on good terms, and who both agree that they do not want to get rid of the fond memories in the house, staying together as platonic roommates may be the best idea. Of course, this means separate rooms, or one of the parents moving into the basement bedroom. It’s up to you and your former partner to figure out an arrangement that makes the house still function as one unit even after the separation of its two heads.
You will also have to discuss how utility bills will be paid. Have the arrangement to split the bill in half, or one parent could handle the electricity bill while another could pay for gas or water. For all expenses related to the child, both parents should contribute. Lay out the rules for doing the laundry and cooking, as well. You cannot expect your former spouse to still cook dinners for you or do your laundry.
Divorce may lead to different endings. Go with whatever works for your situation with your child’s needs considered.
