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Do Your Own Divorce? "Do your own divorce", just what does that mean,? There are varying degrees of "Do it yourself divorce" from not using ANY professionals (not recommended); to using an attorney for advice and reviewing documents. It can make sense to do your own divorce if your situation is not complicated. If you have no substantial assets, no minor children or you are in a short term marriage than doing your own divorce may work in your case. Doing your own divorce should not be considered when: Your Case involves disputes in child custody. You believe your spouse is a danger to you or your children. You believe your case would end up in the courtroom because of high conflict. You believe your spouse is transferring joint assets out of your name or hiding assets. Your spouse has retained an attorney. Still considering doing it yourself? Ask yourself the following questions before deciding: Do you have the time and resources necessary to do it yourself? Don't be fooled into thinking you simply fill out a few forms, and you're divorced. Doing it yourself is going to be time consuming. In fact, it may become an all-consuming part of your life. Do you have the time to research your state laws regarding divorce? Research is time consuming and laws are often hard to understand or ambiguous. Do you can comprehend exactly what the different laws mean? Do you have access to the needed information? Remember that any settlement will have to fall within your state's divorce statutes. Can you overcome the emotional upset and conflict? By nature, divorce is emotional. Anger, guilt, and blaming are common emotional issues you will have to deal with. If there were no conflict between you and your spouse you likely wouldn't be getting divorced. With that in mind, can both you and your spouse put those issues aside and negotiate a fair settlement? Are you on equal ground with your spouse? Even if one person perceives themselves as at a disadvantaged there will be problems. Can you work together to get to equal ground before going forward? If one person feels to be at a disadvantage this will not work. There are advantages to doing your own divorce. You might think the most obvious is the financial savings. Don't be fooled. A poorly structured settlement agreement can be more costly to correct after the fact. Keep in mind that this agreement will: Divide your property as well as your debts. Decide parenting issues such as custody, visitation, and child support. Determine if alimony applies and the amount be paid. Even if you do your own divorce, you may need help from a professional. Lawyer: to review your agreement to ensure it is in the proper form and falls within the word of the law. Mediator: if you and your spouse have come to an issue that you cannot agree upon this doesn't mean you have to give up doing it yourself. A mediator will help you focus on the particular issue at hand and work through it. Counselor: such as psychologist or social worker. If you and your spouse are having a problem, overcoming the emotional part of the divorce you may want to consider counseling either together or separately. Paralegal: you can use a paralegal to help fill out forms and type your agreement, but a word of caution. Paralegals are NOT lawyers. Accountant: There will be tax considerations when dividing your assets and debts. It may be cost effective to pay an accountant for a consultation in order to save on taxes. Why make Uncle Sam happy due to your lack of knowledge about tax law. The biggest advantage to doing it yourself will be the amount of control you will be able to maintain. Your settlement agreement will be the way you both want it to be. You will not be at the mercy of a judge who can impose his own opinions and attitudes on your situation. It is human nature to be more cooperative and compliant to an agreement that you helped create. Given all the above information, keep in mind this is not a simple situation. There are both emotional and financial issues to be considered. Remember the old saying, "Don't be penny wise and pound foolish." Do not take doing it yourself lightly. If you do, you will surely regret it down the road. Additional Divorce Resources and Information: Directory of Attorneys Directory of Mediators Divorce FAQ's Divorce Related Articles A Good Time for Divorce Mediation - Now is a good time to start divorce mediation. People often ask us ... Aliens and Divorce - Overcoming Marriage Fraud - An attempt to gain resident status without a bona fide marriage is marriage fraud. Lawyers must consider the special needs of aliens in divorce ... Announcing your Divorce on Facebook - Is it a good idea to announce your divorce on Facebook? Despite the fact that everyone knows someone who has gotten divorced ... Attorneys Fees in a Georgia Divorce - You can be awarded attorney's fees in a divorce, but the award of attorney's fees is ultimately decided ... Best Divorce - What is the cheapest way to get divorced? The most expensive way? The best way? ... Common Law Marriage in Georgia - Common law marriage is a marriage recognized in some states even when there has been no official ... Cost Issues in Divorce Mediation vs. Litigation - The right mediator offers essential benefits while keeping costs reasonable and responsible ... Dirty Divorce Tricks - Forget What the Papers Say, I'll Do This or That. There are various manifestations of this dirty trick such as sign the papers giving me custody ... Divorce And COBRA - If you have been on your spouses' health insurance policy during your marriage, you will most likely not be able ... Divorce During the Holidays - Sometimes couples who are divorced or divorcing feel additional stress this time of year. Families may have had long-established holiday rituals ... Divorce in the Current Economy - The ups and downs of the current economy are making some couples contemplating divorce a little nervous ... Do I Have To Go To Court To Finalize My Divorce In Georgia? - It may seem unusual, but each judge in a certain county handles final divorce hearings very differently ... Documents to Keep After Your Divorce is Final - Once your divorce is final, we recommend that you keep certain documents, especially if you are receiving ... Filing For A Divorce In Georgia When I Do Not Know Where My Spouse Lives - We have received several calls from women and men in which they want to file for divorce, but they are not sure where their spouse resides. ... Five Ways to Save Time and Money in Your Divorce - Here are five tips that can help you navigate around some of the worst consequences of a marital dissolution ... Grounds for Divorce in New Jersey - In order to file for a divorce in New Jersey, either spouse must have been a resident of the State for at least one year prior to the filing of the action. ... How to Prepare for Divorce After the Holidays - The holidays can be a stressful time for families struggling with the idea of separation and divorce. ... Immigration & Divorce - Each year, more than 400,000 citizens of the United States marry foreign-born persons and petition for them to obtain permanent residence in the U.S ... Irreconcilable Differences New Jersey's Version of a No-Fault Divorce - This new ground for divorce further allows either husband or wife to file a complaint for divorce without any specific reason ... Is Divorce Mediation Right for You? - Divorce Mediation sounds like a great alternative to litigation, but is it for everyone? We often talk about the advantages ... Is the Divorce Rate Really 50%? - How many of your friends and family are divorced? Is it every other marriage? Not for.. ... Is the GPS Tracking of a Cheating Spouse an Invasion of Privacy? - Can I track my cheating ex-wife with a GPS or some other type of hi-tech gizmo? ... Legal Separation vs Divorce: Which is right for you? - While the decision to divorce is clear-cut for some people, the complexity of emotional, financial and parenting needs ... Matrimonial Jurisdiction for Aliens - There are many matrimonial situations in which New York Courts have extended jurisdiction to aliens. Many of these issues were directly addressed in the case of Coran v. Coran, ... Negotiating a Divorce - Divorce mediation is different from a business negotiation. Couples who go into the mediation process with an attitude of compromise are more likely to preserve a civil, working relationship. ... New Jersey Divorce Info - In order to file for a divorce in New Jersey, either ... New Jersey Divorce Procedure - The filing of a divorce complaint starts the divorce case. A complaint for divorce is filed in the county in which the plaintiff lived ... New Jersey Divorce Related Issues - Alimony, child support, child care, child custody, parenting plans, property settlelments, equitable distribution ... New Jersey Post Divorce Issues - Many people make the mistake that once their divorce is over, that their family court problems are over. This is a very big misconception. ... Post-Divorce Mediation - Sometimes the divorce decree is not the final stop for divorcing spouses ... Preparing For Divorce - A person considering divorce should be as prepared and informed as possible ... Servicemember's Guide to Divorce in Virginia - Are you a servicemember who is contemplating a divorce or separation from your spouse? Educate yourself as to Virginia's divorce laws before starting the process. ... Spying on Your Spouse in Virginia - When marriages fall apart people often resort to eavesdropping and recording telephone calls, logging onto computers and tracking a spouse's whereabouts ... Telling the Children About the Divorce - When is the best time to tell your children that you are getting divorced? We often hear this question ... The Dilemma of Health Insurance after Divorce - The key to understanding the insurance dilemma facing divorced spouses is to look at long term solutions ... The Divorce Rate Myth - The commonly-held belief that 50% of marriages end in divorce is a myth. ... The Enforcement of Mediation Agreements - Mediation is all of the rage in family court these days. However, in my professional opinion mediation ... The Intersection of Divorce Law and Mediation - If you filed for divorce, can you still do mediation? If you go through divorce mediation, do you still need a lawyer? We commonly hear these questions from potential clients. And the answers, for the most part, are.. ... The Value of a Pre-Nuptial Agreement - A of premarital agreements helps minimize the controversy, conflict, and stress of a divorce a couple could potentially be involved in later. ... What Happens in a Divorce in Georgia? - While we spend a lot of time in our blog talking about various divorce sub-topics in Georgia, most people coming into our office at the very beginning ... What Is The Difference Between A Contested And Uncontested Divorce? - If you are thinking about filing for divorce and you contact an attorney, one of the first questions they will ask you ... What to Do When You Can't Afford Your Divorce - As you've probably heard from friends and colleagues, the divorce process can be very expensive ... What to Do When Your Spouse Won't Leave - What are my options when my spouse refuses to move out ... Miscellaneous Divorce Related Articles Domestic Abuse Orders for Protection in Minnesota - Domestic abuse is defined as any of the following committed against a family or household member. The domestic abuse order for protection is only available to the family and household members of the abuser. ... Family Anti-Terrorism - A New Weapon in Domestic Violence Law - New York State Legislature enacted The Family Protection and Domestic Violence Intervention Act which confronts, and allows for the opportunity to acknowledge, domestic violence ... New Jersey Domestic Violence - In 1982, the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, codified at N.J.S.A. 2C:25-17, was enacted to address domestic abuse and provide civil remedies for domestic violence victims ... New Jersey Premarital and Cohabitation Agreements - Premarital agreement or antenuptial agreement may be used by a couple to determine, prior to marriage, what each party's rights and obligations will be in the event of divorce. ... Paternity in Minnesota - The days of factual disputes over paternity are long gone, as the issue of biological paternity is now decided by DNA, which is hard to argue with. ...	THIS WEB SITE IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY Do not take any actions based upon the information contained within this web site without first consulting an attorney or an appropriate professional depending upon the content of the information.