(Newswire.net — July 13, 2021) –According to the Bankrate financial site, a person has to pay an average of $15,000 to dissolve their marriage in the United States. Typically, such cost of divorce includes filing fees, attorney fees, expenses on external experts like property evaluators, parenting classes, etc. However, if divorce is too complicated, the final price tag can be even higher.
Not all couples are willing to pay that kind of money for the dissolution of marriage. Some of them look for opportunities to do it cheaper. In this article, we’ll share some ideas to help you make the divorce process more affordable.
Uncontested Divorce As a Way to Save Money
The United States offers two main types of divorce: contested and uncontested. The latter means that the spouses have come to an agreement on all issues related to their divorce, including child custody, child support, property division, spousal support (also known as alimony), etc.
Moreover, the spouses need to agree on the grounds for divorce. They often choose no-fault reasons to terminate their marriage without either side being blamed for ruining the family.
Choosing an uncontested way to terminate the marriage can help save money for several reasons:
- If the spouses are ready to cooperate, they can negotiate and sign a divorce settlement agreement independently, without an attorney or a special mediator.
- They can even proceed without hiring a lawyer if they want. For example, spouses can prepare the divorce forms themselves.
- In some states, the filing fee for an uncontested divorce is less than for a contested one.
If you can’t reach a complete agreement on all the points, try to get a consensus on as many issues as possible. The more contested divorce aspect you have, the more lengthy your proceedings may be, leading to increased expenses.
2 Ways to Have an Inexpensive Divorce
There are two possible ways to reduce the cost of your divorce. Both are legal, but each of them requires you to do some work on your own. Keep reading to learn how to end your marriage without spending a fortune.
Do-It-Yourself
DIY divorce means that the spouses do everything independently, without hiring a lawyer or paralegal, and without additional tools and services. For example, spouses look for information about what documents they need to prepare in their specific situation, research local Family Law regulations and filing requirements, fill out divorce papers and even represent themselves in court if necessary.
Even though this approach helps save a lot of money, it’s not that effective and quick. Yes, you will not have to pay for an attorney or paperwork, but you will waste hours of your time by doing everything yourself. And time is a precious resource that cannot be restored.
Complete Divorce Online
Online divorce or internet divorce is partially do-it-yourself divorce. However, unlike the approach mentioned above, it can save you both time and money.
It’s crucial to understand that this type of process includes only preparing your application for divorce online. You cannot get divorced over the internet. You need to go to court to file your documents, and the judge can issue a divorce decree after reviewing the case.
To prepare documents online, spouses need to take several steps.
- Find a suitable platform
Today there are many divorce companies offering paperwork preparation services like southcarolinaonlinedivorce.com. When choosing, pay attention to how many years the company has been operating and its reputation. It is also important to clarify the pricing policy because some companies may have additional hidden fees.
- See if you qualify
Remember that only those couples whose divorce is uncontested can prepare their papers online. Usually, the platform asks you to confirm it at the very first stage of completing the forms. Moreover, the filing spouse, i.e., petitioner, must know the respondent’s whereabouts.
- Answer the questionnaire
The majority of web divorce platforms require spouses to answer a series of questions about their marriage. The questions may differ depending on the state and county where you plan to file for divorce. Answering this questionnaire is a crucial part of the process because if you make mistakes or provide incorrect information, your documents may be rejected by the court.
That’s all you need to do. Next, the platform will generate your forms. Although there is a waiting period of a couple of days to get your completed papers, it’s still a pretty fast way to prepare your documents. Moreover, you can answer the questionnaire from the comfort of your home.
Usually, the forms you get just need to be printed, signed, and filed with the court. Some companies also provide instructions on filing for divorce in a particular state and even county.
One More Thing
Regardless of how you choose to prepare your documents, each petitioner must pay a court fee before they apply for divorce. The amount ranges from $50 in Mississippi to $435 in California. To get more details about filing fees in your state and county, you can contact your local court clerk.
However, if the filing spouse isn’t able to pay, they can file a special request to waive the fee due to financial hardship. After reviewing the information provided, the judge may cancel the fee. You can also learn more about this process from your court clerk or on your court’s website.
Wrap Up
Getting a divorce can cost a lot of money and nerves. However, those who decide to end their marriage peacefully have a chance to save both. Moreover, such spouses have an opportunity to maintain normal relations.
Now you know about several possible strategies to avoid an expensive divorce. You just need to think about what suits your case. Are you ready to negotiate with your spouse? Do you have time to do everything yourself, or would it be better to prepare your forms online? If you want to do it yourself, are you sure that you can choose the correct forms and fill them out without mistakes? These are the questions to think about before making a decision.