13 May My ex and I share a house. How do we deal with a conflict?

Q. As part of our divorce, we agreed to both live in the same house for about two years — until our youngest graduates from high school. Then we’re supposed to sell or buy each other out. But the problem now is that we agreed I would stay in the master bedroom and he would stay in a guest room, but now he wants to change that. What can I do and still keep things civil?
— Getting upset

A. We’re sorry to hear about your divorce.

There’s no doubt that couples who decide to cohabitate after a divorce will run into some disagreements.

You should first try to remind him that you want to keep matters civil, said Jody D’Agostini, a certified financial planner with Equitable Advisors/The Falcon Financial Group in Morristown.

She said you should tell him that you don’t want to involve professionals because it would be costly in many ways to both of you, she said.

“If you cannot resolve the matter, then you would need to engage a family law attorney to file a contempt motion to enforce your agreement,” D’Agostini said. “You can also file pro-se — by yourself — as well.”

You would need to contact the court clerk in the jurisdiction of your divorce, she said, and you can also request that your ex pay all of your attorney fees.

Good luck to you.

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This story was originally published on May 13, 2022.

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