When matters come to divorce the last thing you’ll be thinking of is money. Yes, there will be emotions involved, maybe children issues and custody, and how you’ll divide your assets such as house or cars, but money tied to the divorce petition and everything that comes next shouldn’t be neglected. Divorces are not clean processes. Yes, they can be, but usually, they’re messy. It is in our nature to have it tangled even when it shouldn’t be. The best thing you can do for yourself during a divorce is not to spend too much on court proceedings and lawyers.
Of course, divorces are not cheap, and they especially are not free. Furthermore, don’t avoid hiring an attorney just because you think they are expensive. If you want things done clean, and without too many expenses you’ll need to hire a good one. That’s our first piece of advice. If you live in the state of Lone Star you’d be wise to search for Texas Divorce Lawyers and consequently visit this site. Here, we are going to give you an ideal course of action. It is up to you to listen to our advice.
One famous movie lawyer said (Al Pacino in The Devil’s Advocate) advice is the worst vice, but that’s not the case here. If it was, we wouldn’t try to give you the answer to the titular question. Supposing that you want to know, we are going to talk about it at length. So, let’s see what is the cheapest way to get a divorce in the US. As you’re going to see there are a few options at your disposal. It is up to you to decide which one suits your financial needs best.
Uncontested Divorce
Let’s start with the best option. This is it. When it comes to divorces you’ll also have the other one and it’s contested. But, we’re going to focus first on this one. The uncontested means that no party involved will contest any of the issues. It is based on the proposition that the spouses have an agreement to all vital issues. With this path, you avoid any legal fight, which is usually a part of a contested divorce. When we talk about uncontested ones, the situation already revolves around a pre-arranged settlement.
What this means is that the couple in question has everything sorted out before they file for a divorce. You can cover it after the trial or dealing with lawyers, or through mediation, but it’s still seen as uncontested if parties agree on the most important issues. When both parties are on the same page the process is much easier to complete, and even the majority of states offer forms and procedures tied to an uncontested divorce. Even if you’re halfway there, you shouldn’t give up, but instead, seek help from a mediator. It will save you time, money, and effort.
Why mediation?
Divorce mediation is considered one of the most cost-effective ways to dissolve a marriage in the US. It involves a neutral third-party mediator who helps facilitate discussions and negotiations between divorcing spouses.
Mediation provides an alternative to the traditional court process, allowing couples to reach agreements on various aspects of their divorce, such as child custody, asset division, and spousal support and you can Find a mediator at ADRtimes.
By engaging in open and constructive dialogue, mediation can often lead to quicker resolutions and significant cost savings compared to a litigated divorce. It promotes cooperation and empowers couples to make decisions together, ultimately reducing legal fees and minimizing the financial burden associated with divorce.
DIY Divorce Filings
Yes, that’s a thing. You can do this without the help of an attorney. That’s not the smartest path, but it is the cheapest one. But, be careful, all of the divorce papers need to be collected and all the filling is done by you. With this approach, you’re in charge of paying only the court fees. The place to start this type of divorce is the internet. The forms are found online as today that’s the most common practice. You need to access your local court and seek the papers on their website. Sometimes the local courts lack this department so you’ll be needing a state-wide search. If there’s a possibility, and you have the time needed you can seek these papers in person at the court that has jurisdiction over your process. Once you have the documents, you can fill out the forms and start the divorce process.
If you can’t fill the papers on your own, you can ask the court clerk for help. Some courts have people in charge of providing necessary help. In other cases, you might seek the help of an attorney, which costs, or find a facilitator or mediator that will go through papers with you. In most cases, you should be sure that papers are in order before you decide to file them. Once the papers are set you need to take them to court. Some courts, as is the norm today, accept these fillings via electronic means. But, in the majority of cases, you’ll need to make a delivery. While this is the cheapest option, it is not free.
You’ll have various filing fees attached to the process. This is not a set sum, and it can vary from state to state. If you’re interested in the price, you can check it out at the website of your local court or you can go and ask in person. Of course, the other party needs to agree with what’s written and the best way to do so is by having them sign a waiver. In case there isn’t one, the papers also need to be sent to them, and to receive a response which if it isn’t positive needs to be in the form of a complaint. The best course to take, if the state laws allow it, is to have the filing done together, and save yourself both time, money, and effort.
One way to avoid having to pay even the court fees is to have them petitioned out. But, in that case, you’ll need to provide evidence to the court that you are not able to pay for the fees involved with a divorce. The majority of states will waive the fees in case you are receiving any form of government aid, using food stamps, or disability payments. In case you’re not providing enough evidence that your fees need to be waived a judge will decide whether to approve your request or deny it.
ODS
We live in the age of the internet. No one can deny it any longer. This is why Online Divorce Services exist. This is an alternative that most of us can afford. The best part is that it can be done remotely from our homes, or even on the go. For people who have neither the time nor will to chase after divorce papers, this is an ideal option.
Of course, it comes with a fee. If you want to do it online, depending on the state, and the papers filed, you will have to part with anything between $100 and $950. Of course, there are many companies in this domain. So, it will come down to what they include in the service, and how much they charge for it. As with everything else, the final tab will come down to everything you need, and the state that the process is happening.
What you need to have in mind is that you’ll be filling out the papers online. With the help of professionals, they will not take care of the entire case for you. Instead, you will still have to take the papers down to the court. The filling part is left to you by most of these services for the basic offer.
In case you want this part handled by them too, you can arrange it. Of course, it will cost you more. As you’ll notice regarding getting divorced nothing comes for free. The best part of this option is that there is a refund in case something is wrong with your papers. You don’t want this when it comes to splitting finally from someone, but having a refund in that situation is great news.
Pro Bono Help
Yes, this is a viable option. For some people, it is the only one, and it is quite cheap. Pro Bono options or simply legal aid can do so much for individuals who are seeking a divorce. Of course, you need to qualify for this option, or otherwise, everyone would go down this route in an attempt to avoid legal fees.
Some of these services can get the job done for you. If you are qualified for the assistance they can handle your filling from start to finish. The best part is that if you seek legal help, you can even meet such help that will lead you toward a true attorney who handles certain cases without a fee attached.
Part-Time Legal Help
When people think about lawyers they only see fees attached. But, it doesn’t have to be like that. A lawyer doesn’t need to be by your side at all times. This is what most people get wrong. An attorney can get his job done by only handling some of the things that you can’t. If you arrange matters like this you can only pay them for the services they did, and not for the entire proceeding. In some instances you can only have them as consultants on the matter you don’t understand about divorce.
An attorney can be there for you in the start, and leave matters in your hands afterward, or they can be there in the back end of the deal when you’ll need more help. It is all up to you. Now that you’ve reached the end of this article, it is up to you which option to choose. But, if you want our final advice. Seeking professional help in matters such as divorce is always the smartest and safest route.
