Hello World! Welcome Friends! Anyone who has gone through a divorce will tell you there is nothing easy about the process. Before agreeing to a divorce in the heat of the moment you can always partake in a trial separation. Should you decide on a trial separation, you will live apart from your spouse with the intention of deciding whether or not you want to continue the marriage. However, should you decide to pursue a divorce you would have to be prepared for emotions to run high during the process, making it easy for both people to make poor decisions. Divorce requires a lot of emotional and financial details to be sorted out and attempting to handle the process on your own can make the situation even more stressful and overwhelming than it already is. NYC divorce lawyers are experienced in handling the requirements for making divorce go as smoothly as possible. Although utilizing the experience of a divorce lawyer is recommended and beneficial for both spouses, depending on the situation of your divorce, you may not need an attorney. This type of divorce proceeding is known as a pro se divorce. Here is some detailed information about a pro se divorce to help you determine if it is right for your situation.
Pro Se Divorce-What, Is It?
Pro se is a Latin term that means “for oneself”, so basically in legal terms, it means “representing yourself”. Although taking the pro se approach is somewhat common for dissolution of marriage, there are many things to consider before taking this approach when getting a divorce. For instance, a DIY divorce may not be your best option, especially if you have concerns about financial issues and there may be some complications of the divorce proceedings that you aren’t prepared to handle without legal representation.
When to Consider a DIY Divorce
A pro se divorce is generally less expensive and less complicated than going through a divorce in a court, so in some situations, a DIY (pro se) divorce may be your best option. In a straightforward divorce case, such as those who have only been married for a short period of time, there are no children in the marriage, or the marriage has little to no shared property that needs to be divided. These are the best situations to consider a pro se divorce. You can usually download the forms online, both parties fill them out, you pay the required fees, file all paperwork, and wait for the divorce to be final. A pro se divorce is often the quickest, least expensive, and easiest way to get divorced. However, it is essential that you understand the risks, especially if you have concerns about property or child custody, and seek advice from a professional firm like petersmay.com if you are ever unsure.
When is a Pro Se Divorce Not the Best Option
Although a DIY divorce can be an optimum solution for a quick, simple, and straightforward divorce, it is important to keep in mind that divorce can quickly become complicated. The more things there are to deal with, the more complicated the process can become. Depending on the length of your marriage, you may be eligible for the financial benefits of your spouse, such as their retirement benefits or social security. Things can go unseen or unaddressed when attempting a DIY Divorce Online, and it may be beneficial to have attorneys help with things such as:
- Child custody, including visitation, child support, and claiming the children on your tax returns
- Spousal support is a common area of concern for many couples and depending on the circumstances, you may be eligible for spousal support, but this could be overlooked in a DIY divorce.
- The DIY divorce may not be your best option if you own property together, including a home, a business, and/or automobiles
- Shared debt may also become a problem when considering a DIY divorce. For instance, it will be necessary to determine who is responsible for joint credit cards, loans, and your mortgage
Do You Need an Attorney if Your Spouse Hired One?
The most important reason why you should not consider a pro se divorce is if your spouse has hired an attorney. Going through a divorce without an attorney when your spouse has one will be a serious disadvantage for you. Having experienced good divorce lawyers in Houston will help protect you throughout this stressful process. The DIY divorce may seem like the least expensive route; however, even if your spouse has told you that their attorney has both of your best interests in mind, going through divorce proceedings without legal representation when your spouse has legal representation doesn’t usually end well.
So, the simple answer to the question of whether you need to hire an attorney for a divorce is no, you aren’t legally required to hire an attorney. However, there are several risks that you should be aware of when considering a pro se divorce. Saving money is amazing and if you both are willing to work together, a pro se divorce may be a good option. It is important to keep in mind that even though things may be going well initially, many couples actually do have the best intentions when starting divorce proceedings, but it only takes one disagreement over who gets what for the situation to get extremely messy. Divorce is complicated and if you are sure what to look for, you may forget about potentially valuable assets or agree to something that you weren’t even aware of agreeing to. Keep in mind that although a pro se divorce is relatively inexpensive, some mistakes may end up costing you more time and money in the long run.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Broken Air Conditioner: What to Do?
Advantages of Having a Home Gym
How You Can Find the Right Divorce Lawyer
Tips To Help You Take Good Care of Your Home
I’d love for you to join my email list! You’ll receive a notification straight to your inbox which will include links to my latest home project posts! Simply enter your address below.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are in the world! Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
[…] I Am Getting Divorced. Do I Need an Attorney? […]