As we head into the New Year and 2023, it's time for reflection, renewal, healing, and moving forward. But if you're marriage is foundering, it may also be time to answer a pivotal question: Is your marriage worth saving in 2023? Of course, knowing when it's time to say goodbye is never easy. Marriage is challenging, but so is divorce. Marriage is also complicated, and whether you decide to stay or go will likely depend on your relationship with your spouse and how divorce might affect your life and your children's lives. Moreover, divorce can raise a whole new set of personal and financial problems. Let's discuss what you should consider if you decide you can't save your marriage in 2023.

Is It Worth Saving?

Deciding whether it's time to separate or divorce is never easy. Still, you should look at all the facets of your relationship and the possible consequences separation might have on your children, your finances, your home, where you work, and where you live.

1. Personal Relationship

In deciding whether it's time to go, you've undoubtedly already devoted much time to examining your relationship with your spouse. Do you still have shared values and beliefs? Do you have shared goals for your children? Do you still like spending time together? You may even have tried counseling. But if it's a situation where you don't feel safe, you no longer agree on how to raise your children, or you've grown apart, it may be time to go your separate ways.

2. Financial Consequences

Some of the most hotly contested issues during divorce concern dividing your assets and your money. Consider the cost of living and the expenses you and your children will have. Will you need additional support from your partner temporarily or long-term? Will you need to look for a new job?

This is also a good time to sit down and take stock of your personal and marital assets. Marital assets are those that you and your spouse own jointly. These assets might include your marital home or other real property, bank accounts, stock portfolio, and other assets like your cars, art, and jewelry. Typically, you and your spouse will split your marital assets, with some room for negotiation.

Assets you brought into your marriage or inherited may not be marital assets. For example, if you inherited a home from your parents, that may not be a marital asset. But if you inherited the house ten years ago, you and your spouse maintained the home with your shared money, and it's appreciated, the home's appreciated value may be a marital asset.

3. Impact on the Children

Along with financial issues, the other hotly contested topics during divorce involve child custody and visitation. It's important to consider how divorce will impact your children and how you'd like to co-parent if you proceed with a divorce. Think about how you see a custody split for the future and consider whether you believe you and your partner will be on the same page. 

How will divorce affect your ability to care for and support your child? Consider whether you want to keep your family home for the children and whether that will be financially feasible. Will a divorce affect where your children go to school, planning for college, or their extracurricular activities? What kind of financial support will you need if you have primary custody of the kids?

Seek Legal Advice

Before you make any final decisions, it's a good idea to consult an experienced New York family attorney. A lawyer can advise you on how you and your spouse might split your assets, non-marital versus marital assets, and child custody and visitation issues. Understanding your personal and financial options and knowing what will come next can make the process seem less overwhelming and frightening.

The Miller Law Group

Separation and divorce don't have to be full of conflict and discord. At the Miller Law Group, we can guide you through in a better way. Our family attorneys and trained mediators help couples work through divorce, custody, and separation issues collaboratively and cordially. Find out how we can help you. Call us to schedule your consultation.