As I watch the news on the economy every day - job loss, unemployment, foreclosures, hard working couples under enormous financial stress - I know that these tough times will push many marriages to the breaking point
The prospect of divorce can be emotionally and financially draining - how can you possibly get divorced if you are already broke?
Most if not all states have self represented ("pro-se") divorce packets that you can fill out you and your spouse agree on all aspects of the divorce - child custody, parenting time, support, alimony, maintenance spousal support, dividing the assets and the debts, the marital home, tax exemptions, pensions, retirement accounts - all issues that go into making divorce agreement
The number one way to be successful at handling your own divorce? BOTH the parties must be open to agreement and compromise - ready, willing, and able to negotiate and amicably settle the issues between them without a long drawn out legal battle
If you have children, assets (real estate, personal property, retirement accounts, pensions, savings), and debts - a consultation with a licensed attorney who is experienced in divorce matters in your area would be a wise investment.
Most (if not all) attorneys would be willing to offer you advice on your self-help divorce, for a reasonable fee.
- Paying a lawyer to advise you on your rights under the law and their professional opinion about the settlement that you have negotiated with your partner - BEFORE finalizing the divorce - can save you money, headaches, and heartache in the future!
- An experienced divorce attorney can help you to get the appropriate documents completed and filed while offering professional divorce advice to help make this difficult time a little less stressful for all involved
If you need to find a licensed divorce lawyer in your area, these websites have lawyer referral services at no cost to you -
Unless you have a very good understanding of local divorce laws and the legal process in general, filing your own divorce papers may be difficult. I have found the following websites to contain helpful information and reasonable fees for "do it yourself" divorce forms and document preparation:
Even if you have done the research on "do it yourself" divorces, and researched all of the self help information that is available, should you ever feel overwhelmed and unable to handle your divorce on your own, you can always seek professional legal advice with a divorce attorney in your area.
The information contained in this post is designed to be used for reference purposes only. It should not be used as, in place of or in conjunction with professional legal advice regarding divorce, child custody, alimony, self help divorce and/or divorce laws. If you are in need of divorce advice or are considering a marriage separation, consult with a professional divorce lawyer in your area for further information and/or divorce advice.
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