For many couples, once the decision has been made to get a divorce, they can’t move fast enough to make it happen. They want to separate, split, and start over, especially if they have been living within each other’s orbit 24/7 since the pandemic began. You may be tempted to head toward the do-it-yourself route to quickly put an end your misery instead of feeling stymied by COVID. But a DIY divorce is one of the worst things you can do for yourself financially and legally.
Protect Yourself Financially
You want your Michigan divorce to be affordable. That’s understandable. Here’s the reality – divorce is expensive, no matter which tax bracket you fall into. The idea of bypassing legal help to save money may sound like a smart idea but, without a divorce lawyer on your side, you are far more likely to find yourself in the red.
- Avoid bargain websites. DIY divorce websites offer one-time package deals and compare their expedited services to the hours and months of time your divorce lawyer will spend working on your split – and charging you for it. But when you work with a hired legal representative, you have a set retainer for their time – costs won’t simply multiply week after week – and you’ll know how much you need to budget for up front. Your divorce lawyer wants to help you, not make you spend as much money as possible.
- Trust a lawyer’s expertise. The biggest hole in a DIY divorce is not having legal expertise on your side. A website can only take you so far, and you will get caught up in the fine print, fill out paperwork incorrectly, or not file things on time. You will waste your own time and energy, as well as the judge assigned to your case. When you have a lawyer, you have guidance and you can hand over the logistics to this trusted resource and get real answers and real results.
- Don’t rely on amicability. You and your spouse may have agreed that a divorce is the right way to go, but just because you’re on the same page on this one point doesn’t mean you will agree on everything else down the line. You have an entire marriage to unravel, including assets, child support and custody, property division, retirement, taxes, and more – things can quickly get ugly. You may find yourself tempted to agree to bad choices just to get the divorce over with or stop arguing. You may say yes to something and not even realize what kind of financial responsibility you’ve just adopted.
There Are Always Options
A DIY divorce is not as speedy as its promoters want you to think it is. There is too much room for error when it comes to paperwork and decision-making. A divorce lawyer will not allow you to be hasty – and that’s a good thing. You want someone on your shoulder questioning your choices and decisions and guiding you in the right direction for your new future.
If you want to keep your divorce costs down, hire a Macomb, Michigan, divorce lawyer to represent you and discuss whether divorce mediation could be a route to savings. At Michigan Divorce Help, we are on your side and want to help you achieve your goals and stay financially stable at the same time. Contact us to schedule your free initial consultation. COVID may feel like the unending siege, but it will pass, and you want to come out on the other side in a good place after your divorce.