The probability of a first marriage ending in separation or divorce within five years is 20%. Divorces are very common. With so many divorces occurring on a daily basis, many wonder if they actually need legal help. Divorces are about filing the necessary paperwork and then dividing ownership between the two spouses. Do you really need a lawyer? The answer is yes, for the following reasons.
Divorces are extremely emotional
Divorces are about much more than going your separate way. Even if the divorce was your idea or was a combined decision, they are often very emotional. There are feelings of anger, guilt, and resentment. If children are involved, these feelings are usually even stronger. When you get legal help with this legal issue, you can leave these feelings out of the divorce proceedings. Additionally, in about 80% of divorce cases, the decision is unilateral, meaning that one party wants the divorce and the other does not. In these cases especially, it can be helpful to use the services of a lawyer.
It can be difficult to separate everything you own
Think about everything that you currently own. Who bought what? Do you even remember? Which items have the most meaning to which spouse? What do you do with a possession that you both want? What about possessions that still have payments due, such as the mortgage or the car payment? What if neither spouse wants something? It can be very difficult to divide up everything that you own and this often presents legal issues. Dividing up larger purchases such as houses or cars can be even more difficult. If spouses own things like retirement accounts or trust funds, this can make the process even harder. Estate planning that was completed previously can also complicate the divorce.
Children are often a part of divorce
In the U.S., 1.5 million children?s parents? divorce every year. Children complicate things significantly. Each parent often believes that the children should remain with them. There might even be concerns over safe parenting practices and a spouse?s ability to parent might be questioned. Many legal issues surround child custody cases. If children are involved in the divorce, it is smart to use the services of an attorney. There are many different types of lawyers and you will specifically want one that has experience with child custody cases.
Divorces are very expensive
Even before you factor in losing half of everything you own, divorces can be very expensive. You have to file paperwork in the court and much of this paperwork costs hundreds of dollars. You also might be forced to sell your house or pay child support or alimony payments. You might want to forgo the cost of an attorney when you are already paying so much for the divorce, but this could end up costing you even more. The best way to negotiate legal issues and cut your liable costs is to work with an attorney. Divorce attorneys will evaluate what you are paying and will fight to get you a fair cost. They can also ensure that everything is filed properly the first time, preventing you added costs that are unnecessary.
Divorce is all too common in the United States. Divorce can be expensive, emotional, and time consuming. You can shorten the process, save some money, and make the process easier by using the legal services of a divorce attorney. Divorces are very complicated and they require someone that is experienced and educated in the process.