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Do Your Own DivorceShould you do your own divorce?Every situation is different so what works for one situation may not necessarily work for others. However, the money you can save by doing your own divorce instead of paying lawyers certainly means it is worth considering. In addition to saving a great deal of expense, Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, admonishes us to settle disputes out of court I did my own divorce, so I speak from experience when I say it can be done. I am grateful that I was able to do it that way because the expense of legal fees would have been a tremendous financial strain on an already strained income. I was able to do it myself for several reasons. First of all, we had been separated for six years by the time I filed for a legal divorce. We had a separation agreement at the time of
separation
so all decisions regarding who was taking what and who was paying what had already been made. My estranged spouse had been living with someone else since a month or two after our separation – it was pretty clear there was not going to be a
restoration
of the marriage. I filled in all the paperwork myself and had my estranged spouse sign where needed and then we filed the papers with the court to be finalized. There was no argument from either of us. It was more or less a matter of ending the marriage as far as the law was concerned. In the eyes of the law, you are single the day before you marry and remain married until the day your divorce is finalized or your partner dies. Things you should consider before you do your own divorce. 1) Is there an agreement, written or verbal, with regards to the division of property and debt? 2) Have matters of child support and access been agreed on? 3) Has enough time passed (a minimum of one year) to be certain that the marriage will not be restored? 4) Are either you or your estranged spouse in a relationship with someone else? If neither of you has “moved on” there may still be a chance for the marriage to be restored. 5) Do you know how to contact your estranged spouse? Do you know where your spouse lives so you can have them sign the divorce papers? 6) Is your estranged spouse contesting the divorce? If your spouse is fighting the divorce, you will likely not be able to do your own divorce. Do it yourself divorce is meant to be used in cases of uncontested divorces.
If you are comfortable preparing paperwork and can type or have clearly legible handwriting and can follow directions, you can purchase a Do It Yourself Divorce Kit and prepare and file the paperwork on your own. This process can be time consuming but if you have the time and the patience to fill out the forms, you can save the most money going this route. Many states and provinces offer
Free Divorce Forms.
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