Ben Affleck & Jennifer Lopez's Alleged Divorce Papers Suggest They Have No Plans for a Messy Split
While the great Hollywood love story that was Bennifer 2.0 might be coming to a close, it’s looking like Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are doing everything in their power to end things on a good note. The couple’s alleged approach to their separation means they could avoid the drawn-out divorces we see all too often in the celebrity world.
According to an August 1 report, Affleck and Lopez have privately worked out their divorce papers and are just waiting to officially file to end their two-year marriage. “[Affleck’s team] finalized the divorce papers with her a month ago, but are waiting for the right time to drop them,” a source claimed to the Daily Mail. “At that time, they will release a joint statement that will say how they have much love for each other and how they fought to make it work, but couldn’t.”
Lopez and Affleck may be privately dividing up their assets in order to finalize their divorce quickly without a lengthy legal back and forth. According to Joe Dillon, divorce mediator and relationship expert at Equitable Mediation, the famous duo appear to be opting for a common route chosen by couples seeking to avoid contentious court battles.
“Couples often prefer this method as it removes the pressure of court-imposed deadlines and milestones. It allows them to perform necessary discovery and disclosure at their own pace and provides ample time to negotiate thoroughly before entering the formal filing process,” Dillon explains.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reportedly couldn't find middle ground. https://t.co/hWLqxHjOVk
— SheKnows (@SheKnows) August 1, 2024
Another option, to file first and then work out a settlement, is more commonly used in high-conflict situations and can be necessary if a couple needs to establish a start date for their divorce in order to freeze the value of marital assets and debts.
“This can be particularly useful if there are concerns about a spouse dissipating marital assets or incurring additional debt in both parties’ names without the other’s knowledge,” Dillon says.
Affleck and Lopez’s alleged approach could see them follow in the footsteps of another A-list couple, Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen, who filed, finalized and announced their divorce all in one day back in 2022 after working out the settlement privately.
Divorcing this way means the actual filing is really just an administrative task and minimizes the court’s involvement.
“Since all issues are resolved beforehand, the court process simply formalizes the couple’s agreement,” Dillon says. “Doing it this way can make the entire process feel less adversarial and more cooperative, which often leads to more satisfactory outcomes for both parties and preserves the relationship between them, which is critically important especially when children are involved.”
Though they do not have any children together, Affleck is a father to three kids from his relationship with ex-wife Jennifer Garner and Lopez shares two children from her marriage to Marc Anthony.
According to Dillon, this likely means Affleck and Lopez could be doing their best to keep things amicable at the end of their decades-long love story. “When couples are amicable, they’ll typically be able to sit in the same room together, and work with a mediator to help them negotiate directly, what the terms of their divorce will be,” Dillon says.
Neither Lopez nor Affleck have addressed the split rumors which have been circulating since May. In June, Affleck moved out of the home he shared with Lopez and, the following month, purchased a new LA property. Affleck and Lopez reportedly didn’t spend their July 12 wedding anniversary or Lopez’s July 24 birthday together.
Before you go, click here to see the longest celebrity marriages.