That’s one of the most common (and important) questions people ask. The process you choose can affect your finances, your parenting relationship, and your peace of mind — both now and long after the divorce is final.

Here’s a quick overview:

Divorce Coaching

One-on-one support to help you navigate the emotional, practical, and strategic decisions during divorce.

✅ Helpful when: You’re feeling overwhelmed, uncertain about how to move forward, or want help preparing for conversations, negotiations, or legal steps.

👉 Learn more about Divorce Coaching

Mediation

A structured process where a neutral third party helps you and your spouse reach agreement on parenting, property, and finances—outside of court.

✅ Helpful when: You’re both willing to cooperate, want to stay out of court, and need help working through the details.

👉 Explore Our Mediation Services

Collaborative Divorce

A team-based approach where each spouse hires their own collaborative attorney and works with other professionals (like financial or parenting experts) to reach an agreement without litigation.

✅ Helpful when: You need legal support but want a respectful, non-adversarial process with shared goals.

👉 See How We Support Collaborative Divorce

Attorney-Led Negotiation and/or Litigation

Each spouse hires their own attorney to negotiate a settlement. If an agreement can’t be reached, the case may move to court (litigation).

✅ Helpful when: You’re not comfortable negotiating directly, want legal protection, and need support resolving complex or contested issues.

👉 Let us help you with coaching or divorce financial analysis and planning to most effectively utilize this option. We also support attorneys in negotiations or litigation.

DIY Divorce (Pro Se Divorce)

You and your spouse complete the entire divorce process on your own, without attorneys or professional guidance.

✅ Best when: You agree on all terms, have uncomplicated finances, and may also be comfortable preparing and filing your own legal documents.

💡 Even in a simple divorce, many couples choose our low-cost TruNorth Divorce DIY Dock & File® package to avoid mistakes, get expert review, and ensure documents are prepared and filed correctly.

Still not sure? That’s okay, schedule your consultation and let us know you’re unsure of which option is best for you but that you are also ready to choose a process and professionals. We’ll help you compare your options and choose what’s right for your situation — not just what feels urgent.

You don’t need a lawyer to get started and you may not even need one at all. Many people work with us first to get clarity, organize their financial information, and evaluate process options. Others come to us after trying to negotiate with attorneys but need help understanding the numbers or finding common ground.

And if you are doing a DIY divorce, we offer a service called TruNorth Divorce DIY Dock & File™, which includes professional consulting, document preparation, and court filing support for self-represented (pro se) couples.

We also work alongside attorneys in Collaborative and litigated cases to provide financial expertise and strategy support.

That’s extremely common. You don’t need to be in full agreement to begin. In fact, our role is often to help you both get clear on your priorities and understand your options.

You can even start working with us individually and decide later whether a joint process like mediation or Collaborative Divorce is appropriate.

It depends on your situation and the level of support you need. Some services are flat-fee (like mediation or DIY Dock & File), while others are hourly or bundled in packages.

• Divorce Financial Analysis and Planning will prepare you to negotiate with your spouse, work with a mediator, or attorneys.

• Mediation is usually a flat fee based on the complexity of your finances and parenting needs.

• Collaborative Divorce includes other professionals and typically costs more than mediation, but less than full litigation.

• DIY Dock & File is our most affordable option for aligned couples who just want guidance + paperwork + filing.

We’ll walk you through the options and help you understand what’s most appropriate and cost-effective for your goals.

We typically invoice in installments over the course of our engagement with you. We also offer credit card payments for your convenience.