How to tell your husband the marriage is over

In This Article

• 15 ways to tell your husband you want a divorce
• Why would a woman divorce her husband?
• When to tell your husband you want a divorce?
• How a divorce consultant can help?
• Wrapping up

It’s time. You didn’t think it would ever come to this point in your marriage, but you are done.

You’ve put your heart and soul into making your relationship with your husband work, but things just are completely stuck. Unfortunately, your marriage is over.

You have told yourself, “I want a divorce”. Of that decision, you are finally sure.

Now comes the hard part: how to tell your husband you want a divorce?

Whether you’ve been married one year or 25 years, telling your husband you want a divorce will be one of the hardest of your life. There are many ways to approach this, and how you do it will have a significant impact on how the divorce plays out.

Will the divorce get ugly, or will it remain civil? While many factors play into this, how you tell your spouse, you want a divorce is one of them. So be thoughtful as you go through this process.

15 ways to tell your husband you want a divorce

So, how to tell your husband you want a divorce when he doesn’t? Here are some tips on how to ask for a divorce from your husband:

1. Make sure you are sure

If you have any doubt in your mind or heart that you might regret the initiation of the divorce, it’s probably not the time to make such a final decision. 

Instead, you might consider holding a serious conversation with your husband to discuss where your relationship is going and what is going wrong for you.  

You might even consider couples counseling to attempt to move out of a potentially difficult phase.

If you make this move before making your marriage final, and it doesn’t fix the relationship then at least you know that you have done everything possible to save and redirect your marriage.  

So that when the time comes to part ways, you’ll be sure that it’s the right thing to do and figuring out how to tell your spouse you want a divorce will be easier because he’ll probably know it’s on the cards!  

2. Gauge his possible reaction

There are different ways to say you want a divorce. Try to gauge his likely response to decide on the way to talk to your spouse about it.

Do you think your husband has any clue how unhappy you are? Also, remember that there is a difference between general unhappiness and divorce. Has anything happened, or have you said anything in the past to indicate whether or not you want out?

If he is clueless, this will be even harder; to him, it may feel like it has come out of the left field, and he may openly fight even the mention of the idea.

However, if you think he may have some clue, then this conversation may go a little easier. If he’s already been pulling away, then he may already be thinking that the marriage is on the rocks, and this pending conversation may feel like  a natural progression for him.

3. Prepare for conflict and self-defense

If your marriage is on the rocks and you are thinking, “How to tell my husband i want a divorce or separation?” (no matter whether you are planning to try to improve the situation or if you are certain that you want to divorce your husband) the next step should be to protect yourself and your assets.  

Just in case things become stormy or difficult between you.  

Before you tell your husband you want a divorce, make sure that you have taken the time to understand fully the in’s and out’s of your finances.  

For example; you’ll need to know everything there is to know about your budgets, joint debts, assets, and household bills; it’s also helpful to secure any paperwork that proves who bought what assets and any certificates of ownership for any important joint assets. 

It’s much easier to do this while you are still living in the household and wise to do so even if you plan to remain in the household after the divorce.  

This is especially important if you are experiencing conflict already, it only takes a few people or a new partner to advise your spouse against you, and they might just listen.  

Related Reading: 8 Easy Ways to Resolve Conflict & Improve Marriage Communication

4. Think about what you will say

Wondering what to say when you want a divorce? With his possible reaction in your mind, it’s time to think about what you will say to him. Instead of worrying about how to tell him you want a divorce, you can start by talking about how you’ve felt unhappy for a while now, and that you’ve grown apart.

Then tell him you have felt for a while that the marriage just won’t work and that you want a divorce. Make sure to say the word, so he is clear.

Related Reading: 10 Most Common Reasons for Divorce

5. Hear his side

Wait for him to respond. He will likely have questions.

Stay general. If he asks for specifics, still try to keep it general. If you must, just mention a few significant issues, but overall, talk about how it’s your day-to-day life that is unhappy and not what you want.

If you need to, before you meet, write down your thoughts so you can organize them and be ready. The conversation about telling your spouse you want a divorce will not be an easy one for you as well as your partner.

But, you need to find out how to tell him you want a divorce without giving space for further conflicts or arguments between the two of you.

Related Reading: Conversations With Your Spouse: Dos And Don’ts

6. Practice how you will break the news

You might think, “I’m scared to tell my husband I want a divorce.” So, practice how you will tell your husband that you want a divorce so that you don’t confuse the message, back out, or stumble on your words.  

If you’re going to take care over-explaining the critical factors that have led to this situation, make sure you write them down so that you can remind yourself of them if needed.  

7. Make sure your message is clear

A frequently overlooked issue when anybody has to express lousy news is that they often soften the message so much that it can leave mixed messages. 

To make sure that you clearly communicate that you are telling your husband that you want a divorce and you mean it, you need to be direct and clear.  Explain why this is a final decision, and don’t go back on your words out of guilt, empathy, or for any reason, unless you have decided that you don’t want to divorce.

Related Reading: 16 Principles for Effective Communication in Marriage  

8. Set aside uninterrupted time to talk

Tell your husband that you need to speak to him about something and set up the time and day. Go somewhere where you can be private and spend some time together talking.

Turn off your cell phones, get a babysitter—whatever you need to do so that you are both undistracted and be uninterrupted while you talk. Maybe at your home, or a park, or somewhere else that is secluded to talk to your husband about divorce.

9. Set the scene

Pay attention to who is likely to be around during and after breaking the news and what is next on yours and your husband’s schedule in the hours or days to follow the news of the divorce.

For example, it would be better if you have children and they are not present.  And ideally, not in the home when you break the news.

If you or your husband are about to head off to an important business meeting the next day, it might not be the best time to inform your husband that you want a divorce.

It’s also important not to break the news if you’ve been out and consuming alcohol or are driving.

Related Reading: How to Ask for a Divorce From Your Spouse?

10. Keep the discussion civilized

What are the best ways to ask your spouse for a divorce without getting harsh reactions from your partner in return?

As you talk, things are bound to get awkward, heated, or both. The best way to tell your spouse you want a divorce is to stay civil even if you are the only one who does so.

If your husband reacts rashly, don’t fall into the same trap and react with harsh feelings. When you don’t respond, he may then say things to try to rile you up, but again don’t fall for it.

Remember what you are doing here—you are only letting him know what you want. Your ultimate goal is divorce, which is hard enough. Don’t make it worse by allowing emotions to overrule you.

Related Reading: 10 Ways on How to Deal With Criticism in a Relationship

11. Don’t point fingers

One of the crucial things to keep in mind while searching for ways to tell your husband you want a divorce is to never, ever point fingers at your partner.

During this conversation, and during the weeks afterward, your husband may ask you for specific issues or situations where either of you is at fault.

He may even point blame at you while trying to get you to point fingers back. Don’t play that blame game. You can go in circles coming up with whose fault it was.

In reality, the fault lies with both of you at least a little bit. At this point, the past doesn’t matter. What matters is the present and the future.

12. Give your husband space to respond

Your husband might experience shock as you deliver this news. Even if he had an idea that things are likely to lead to divorce, accepting the reality of the situation can be hard. 

Make sure that you give your husband time to ask questions either right away or in the near future so that he can move on. Also, give him space if he needs it to be alone with his thoughts.

Related Reading: 15 Signs You Need Space in Your Relationship

13. Get your husband a backup plan

If you can plan to have somebody available for your husband to turn to after you have delivered the news, that would help him to adjust (especially if he’s going to be surprised by the news).  

It will also relieve you from any guilt or anxiety about the emotional state of your husband.  

14. Agree to another time to talk more

You might be wondering, “I told my husband I want a divorce, now what? How else should I talk to your husband when you want a divorce?”

Well, this is not going to be an easy one and is not going to be a one-time discussion. More feelings will come up, and if you both agree to move forward with the divorce, then you’ll be talking more about things.

This first discussion is simply to tell him that you want a divorce. Nothing more, nothing less! If he brings up details, tell him you just want some time and set a future date to talk about money, the kids, etc. All the big stuff.

These tips should put your doubts on how to tell your husband you want a divorce to rest. Dealing with divorce is never easy. But for now, you can rest knowing that you said your peace, and you can finally move on.

15. Plan temporary accommodation

This is an essential tip for how to tell your husband you want a divorce.  It ensures that you are both secure and able to give each other the space to deal with the situation separately.  It also protects you in the case of an unsafe situation, and if there are children involved, it makes the process smoother for them.  

Ideally, make sure you (or your husband if he chooses) have somewhere to stay overnight on the day that you discuss divorce and even in the near future. 

Just in case you or your husband wants to leave the family home immediately and indefinitely.

Just make sure you have the finances and resources saved up to support this step.  

Why would a woman divorce her husband?

A 2015 research found that nearly two-thirds of divorces are initiated by women. This is mainly because they are more sensitive towards relationships.

Here are some probable reasons why this happens:

• Usually, while men are not probably attentive to the issue and assume everything is fine, women have most likely noticed the first few cracks in the relationship. Not being on the same page gives rise to conflicts.
• Women enjoy connection but there are chances that they assume men will instinctively understand their needs. This leads to a communication gap that grows with time.
• Boredom is another relationship killer and it usually dawns on women more because they are more attentive towards emotions and relationships. 

Check out these common reasons for divorce:

When to tell your husband you want a divorce?

Well, breaking this news will most likely not be a pleasant situation. However, you can control the reactions, provided you choose the correct time to discuss the issue. 

Bring forth the topic when the stressors are low in a firm and compassionate way. Your husband will take time to digest the fact. So, be gentle without blindsiding your husband. 

In all honesty, no one commits to marriage, anticipating it will end in a divorce. So, make sure that you look at the circumstances in your husband’s life before discussing this major issue.

How a divorce consultant can help?

A divorce consultant will act as a legal mediator if you are seeking ways of how to divorce nicely and will help you right from the first step or analyzing your case in-depth to filling out the forms to initiating the divorce and strategizing the settlement. 

It’s important to find the right divorce consultant. They will help you with the following:

• Gather data to build a picture of your side of the divorce
• Plan on how to approach a divorce for an amicable settlement
• Strategize to bring up options in case of complex divorce
• Bring forth other settlement options to avoid conflict
• Help you avoid financial mistakes
• Planning your new life on financial aspects

Related Reading:  How to Achieve a Fair Financial Settlement During Divorce

Wrapping up

Divorce is hard, and figuring out how to tell your husband you want a divorce or the best way to tell husband you want a divorce is almost as difficult as delivering the bad news itself.  

It doesn’t matter if you are planning to leave with love in your heart for your husband or you are running for the hills as fast as you can, delivering the message is not a fun or comfortable experience.

These tips on how to tell your husband you want a divorce will promote compassion and kindness to all involved.

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