14AGAIN News Reporter
Divorce can be an exceptionally challenging time for any family and an individual. The emotional pain of breaking up a marriage is even more aggravated by the painfully long and tedious legal divorce procedure.
Apart from being extended, these legal procedures are often expensive if you factor in the cost of a law firm and other ancillary services. These reasons may compel an individual to incline toward a DIY divorce procedure.
Filing for divorce by yourself is permissible by law and may offer particular advantages. But along with the benefits come a few downsides. This post will explore various aspects of a self-filed divorce petition.
What Is A Self-Filed Divorce?
Both litigants can effectively represent themselves in a Do-It-Yourself divorce. The divorce can be processed through the courts after a couple obtains the appropriate paperwork to get things started. The court levies a petition fee; however, individuals living on a minimum wage or support may qualify for a partial or complete exemption from the court fee.
Do-It-Yourself Divorce Benefits:
- Offers Simplicity: The divorce process can be intimidating and perplexing to many people. You can also approach law firms to help you out just with documentation on a flat fee basis. This will allow you to focus on the case rather than wasting your time compiling and filing paperwork.
Nonetheless, any consensus reached regarding the shared assets should be documented and, where suitable, a clean break obtained. You will need an attorney to prepare this; fees vary, and in most cases, you are well instructed to do so to safeguard yourself from any future liability, even years after the divorce has been finalized. The process can be straightforward if the two spouses concur on dividing assets.
- Keeping Expenses Low: Self-filed divorces can be finalized for much less money than traditional divorces, costing each side thousands of dollars. A personally filed divorce cuts costs to an absolute minimum by eliminating the need for attorneys and other professional consultants.
The possibility of a low-cost divorce is alluring in the current economic environment, where many separated spouses struggle financially.
Do-It-Yourself Divorce Downsides:
- They Only Apply To Straightforward Cases: Finding a compromise that pleases both parties can be challenging, even when the breakup is amicable.
Moving forward with expert legal advice is advised when mortgages, children, and retirement accounts are being shared. Otherwise, both sides can come to regret it in the future. A DIY divorce should be considered if both couples agree on every element of the dissolution and have little to no assets. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
- You Could Make Mistakes: Without expert legal guidance, mistakes can be made that can cause proceedings to drag out, increase costs, or cause you to discover the mistake years after. Divorces are permanent processes; making mistakes can be extremely difficult and expensive to rectify.
Final Thoughts:
Self-filed divorces might be a straightforward, and somewhat stress-free choice during challenging times if you’re divorcing peacefully without assets or dependents. The self-filed divorce assistance provided by many law firms includes all necessary guidance at a nominal flat fee.
