How to File for Divorce Yourself

With rising divorce rates, many people are looking for alternatives to costly attorney and court costs to settle their divorce. It is not as difficult as may be suspected to file your own divorce, especially no-fault divorce, but will require serious cooperation between both spouses. Filing for divorce because of fault by one side is much more complicated, and will often require the use of attorneys to account for the lack of cooperation between spouses.

Initial Process

The initial process of filing for divorce requires the documentation of financial and family status such as provisions for child support, custody, property, settlements, and the completion of many forms. For couples attempting to file for no-fault divorce, state regulations must be checked. In some states law requires that the couple be physically separated, meaning that they no longer live in the same residence. The length of this separation varies from state to state, but is generally at least longer than one month.

Finalization

Once the initial process of compiling and completing all documentation and paperwork is completed, the divorce decree can be submitted to the court. This review can only be completed with additional paperwork, such as birth certificates, vehicle titles, recent tax records, any mortgage or loan accounts, property deeds and titles, bank account information and pension or retirement fund accounts. No-fault divorce may require a waiting period between finalization of at least one month. Otherwise, the divorce will be reviewed and a court date will be determined to finalize the divorce.

Getting Help

Do it yourself divorce services are easily available over the internet, and in many places, in person. Marriage counseling services are even more readily available and can provide help for finding DIY divorce help. In addition, if further assistance is needed, some legal professionals will offer the needed advice for only a small fee, rather than hiring them for the full cost that can be thousands of dollars.

Thinking About Divorce?