By Neta, founder of SortMyDivorce · 16 guides
A settlement is agreed in writing, usually through offers passing between lawyers, and almost never in one round. What decides the outcome is rarely the arithmetic — it is what was disclosed, what the deadline on the letter actually does, and whether the draft agreement still matches the offer you accepted.
Offers, counter-offers, mediation, and what you are signing. Use the settlement calculator — free, no signup, nothing leaves your device.
A framework for deciding: what the offer is actually worth, what the alternative costs, and the questions to answer before you say yes or no.
Divorce Settlement Red FlagsThe warning signs in a settlement offer or draft agreement — vague mechanisms, conditional obligations, missing items, and the pressure to sign quickly.
How to Counter a Divorce Settlement OfferHow to build a counter-offer that moves things forward: what to concede, what to hold, how to justify it, and the mistakes that cost people rounds.
The clause-by-clause read: releases, enforcement provisions, tax treatment, what can be modified later and what cannot — and why independent counsel matters.
Before You Sign a Separation Agreement (Canada)Independent legal advice, full disclosure and witnessing are what make an agreement hold. What to check before you sign, and what makes one unenforceable.
Divorce Mediation vs ArbitrationHow divorce mediation and arbitration differ, what a combined med-arb process looks like, and how to think about which route fits your situation.
Divorce Mediation vs LawyerHow divorce mediation and lawyer-led negotiation actually differ, when each tends to fit better, and how combined models
Divorce Settlement Agreement Template: What to IncludeWhat a divorce settlement agreement has to cover, clause by clause, with an example you can adapt and the mistakes that make one unenforceable.
Divorce Settlement ExplainedWhat a divorce settlement actually is, how offers move back and forth between lawyers, why letters are marked 'without prejudice', and why offer deadlines.
Formal Offers to Settle: What They Do, and WhereIn parts of Canada a formal offer can shift who pays the legal costs. In most of the United States there is no family-law equivalent. The difference matters.
How to Prepare for Divorce MediationWhat to gather and think through before a divorce mediation session: disclosure, the three numbers that anchor every conversation, how to state positions.
Lowball Divorce Settlement Offer? How to RespondHow to judge whether a divorce settlement offer is unfair, spot an offer that has quietly moved backwards, and respond without conceding ground you meant to keep.
Negotiation Tactics Used Against You in a DivorceThe moves that show up in family negotiations, what each one is trying to achieve, how to recognise it early, and what actually neutralises it.
Reading a Draft Separation Agreement Against the Last OfferA draft agreement is where an accepted offer is turned into clauses, and where things change. How to compare the two line by line.
Settlement Conference in Ontario: Form 17C and the OfferThe purposes in Rule 17(5), the four parts of Form 17C, the mandatory offer to settle, the 60-day financial refresh, and the week-before deadlines.
When a Divorce Settlement Offer Expires: What the Date DoesA lawyer's letter says the offer is open until Friday. What that deadline can and cannot do, how formal offers under court rules differ.
These guides are general information, not legal advice. Laws change and differ by jurisdiction — confirm specifics with a local family lawyer or your court's official website.