If you and your spouse share an agricultural operation and are divorcing, you may have questions about how running your Illinois farm together might work.
There are benefits and risks to cooperating on your farm with your ex. Consider these four challenges before committing to a joint farming plan.
1. Continued interaction with your former partner
Due to the highly personal nature of divorce, the process can get muddied by strong emotions. Unless your divorce is amicable, you may feel inclined to avoid your former partner at all costs. However, this idea becomes impossible when continuing to manage your farm together.
2. Disputes over how you run the farm
The decision to divorce is often rooted in the desire for peace of mind. If this is your goal, you may have difficulty managing the farm with your ex, especially if you and your spouse do not currently get along. Additionally, creating a parenting plan may get complicated with minor children involved in daily farm operations.
3. Potential pressure to sell out
If your spouse has hinted at interest in buying out your share of the farm, you should prepare yourself for potential pressure to sell out. They may coerce you to sell by creating conflict or making your role on the farm increasingly challenging.
4. Living arrangements
Operating a farm together becomes tricky when both parties live on the property. Creating a living arrangement that allows separation but proximity to work on the farm may present a challenge.
Keep these challenges in mind before you continue your farming partnership with your soon-to-be ex.