Is An Online Divorce The Right Choice For Me?
Whether civil or hostile, divorce is never an easy process. There are emotional ties that seem to take center stage as well as dealing with the children, division of assets, allocation of debts, and moving on with your life. If you’re just getting started in this process, then you may wonder what direction you should go.
There are several choices when it comes to filing a petition to end a marriage, but choosing the wrong one can cost you thousands of dollars. It all comes down to how significant the assets and whether both parties agree on everything as to which method is best.
Is There Any Chance of Reconciliation?
One of the first things you must consider is reconciliation. If one party doesn’t want a divorce, then they may be less than eager to cooperate during the process. Often, counseling is a great way to work through troubling problems in a marriage, and the union may be salvageable. How many times have you heard of a couple being divorced and remarried two or even three times? You can save yourself a great deal of time and money if you are for sure that this is what you both want.
Some states, like Washington and Mississippi, require therapy before the judge will sign off on a divorce. With 40 to 50 percent of all marriages ending in divorce, it’s best to try all avenues to see if there is anything that can be done. It’s often found that people don’t even know what or when their marriage fell apart, but it’s something that can be put back together with proper guidance.
Do You Agree or Disagree on The Issues?
Before you start the divorce proceedings, you need to sit down and discuss the issues. If you have children, do you agree which one of you will be the custodial parent, or do you prefer shared parenting? Will there be child support, spousal support, and who keeps the house and other assets?
The state you live in plays a big part in how the assets will be divided. For instance, in California and Ohio, all assets obtained during the marriage are community property, which means that both parties have rights to them.
If you have no children, no assets, and there will be no spousal support, then you have an easy case. A dissolution is for those who agree on everything and want to work to make the process simple and straightforward. You must sue for a divorce, meaning that either one party doesn’t want the union to end or they don’t agree on the issues at hand.
Is Dissolution Right for You?
A dissolution is a more straightforward way to end a marriage. When you agree on everything, the process is quite simple. If you choose to go this method, then you can save even more money by doing it online or filling out the paperwork yourself. In many instances, there is no reason to appear before the judge.
You can drop the paperwork and the filing fee off at the courthouse, and the judge will review the proposed agreement, sign off on it, and grant the dissolution. If for some reason they have a question about the paperwork, then they may call you in for a hearing.
Many people receive their dissolution papers in the mail and never step foot in the courthouse. Keep in mind that there cannot be any disagreements, not even one to file this method.
Is Divorce the Right Option?
Filing for a divorce is inevitable when you cannot agree on the issues, and you need the court to step in and make a ruling. It’s always best to have an attorney representing your best interests and making sure you get a fair outcome. Some unions cannot go by way of dissolution because they are too messy, there are too many assets/liabilities, or there are unusual circumstances.
You don’t need to worry about mudslinging or saying that a person was mentally cruel, a cheater, or any of the horrible grounds that people used for divorce in times past. Most states have adopted the laws that stipulate that you no longer need to have “grounds.” Now, most jurisdictions will allow you to cite irreconcilable differences.
Before going the route of divorce, it may be best to go through mediation. They use a third-party individual who is trained in the art of negotiations can be advantageous. If there is any way possible to change the divorce to a dissolution, both parties will greatly benefit. There’s no need to waste precious money fighting about such trivial matters.
Online Divorce Makes the Process Simple
If you agree on everything, there are a few options at your disposal. First, you can file the divorce yourself by printing off all the paperwork from your local court or picking up a copy in person. However, you should remember that the dissolution process has some tricky paperwork. If you fill out something incorrectly or don’t turn in the right forms, your case can be placed on hold, or they don’t have to accept it. While this may be the most inexpensive method, it’s not the safest. There is another choice.
Filing an online divorce is simply because it’s done in an interview style. You answer questions, and the computer fills out the appropriate forms. It’s very similar to doing your taxes with one of the tax preparation programs. Since each state has specific filing requirements and forms, the computer automatically makes sure you have what you need. When you are done, all you do is print the paperwork, and file it at the courthouse with the filing fee.
You can have the paperwork and be ready to file in a matter of minutes. Best of all, it costs a fraction of the price to have the dissolution petition professionally done. If you agree on everything, then there is no need to pay the huge price for an attorney to do the papers. An online divorce preparation is fast, legal, and affordable.