DIY divorce vs. hiring an attorney: Which is better?

Divorce is generally a rather complicated topic as it involves lots of procedures and processes that an average person may find difficult to understand at first glance. However, the Internet is full of information about getting a divorce, which allows us to handle it better.

That is why people often come to a crossroads for choosing how to proceed with the divorce process: DIY scenario or hiring an attorney. This article will compare both paths so you can conclude which is better for you and your situation!

A few things to consider

Before diving into analyzing both scenarios, you should ask yourself about several things:

• For example, do you have a limited budget?
• Do you and your partner agree on essential matters?
• Can you and your partner divide assets and liabilities by yourselves?

After answering these questions and reading through the information below, you will better understand what type of divorce might work best for you.

DIY divorce

Let’s begin with the list of pros and cons of going through a divorce without an attorney.

First of all, DIY divorce is usually way more inexpensive than hiring a lawyer. Getting help from a professional attorney can cost around $200-$300 per hour! So, going through the dissolution of marriage by yourself can save you a lot of money.

Consider the fact that it is possible to use the services of an online divorce paperwork preparation company to get your divorce papers done for a mere $139. Moreover, such companies provide step-by-step instructions on how to proceed with filing for divorce without a lawyer; so, you won’t be left guessing what to do next.

It is also important to mention the time factor. When hiring an attorney, you must abide by their schedule. In addition, they have other clients, so you will likely be in line to get your case reviewed.

Getting paperwork for divorce over the Internet takes just two business days, meaning that you will be able to proceed with the next steps sooner. This benefit is significant to people who want to avoid stress and get on with their lives as soon as possible.

Yet, despite all these benefits, couples who want to go with a DIY divorce have to consider some conditions. The main thing to know is that getting divorced without a lawyer is only recommended when a couple agrees on terms and conditions. This is also known as the uncontested divorce. Furthermore, going through the divorce process without a professional to assist you to increase the chances of making mistakes, costing time and money.

Hiring an attorney

Let’s go through the pros and cons of hiring a lawyer to lead your divorce process.

As mentioned above, everything depends on whether spouses can agree on important matters such as spousal support, property division, and child custody. If they cannot do so, it is required to hire an attorney to sort things out.

A professional lawyer can help you with filing for divorce and getting through all the other procedures. They are also your negotiator and will try to get you the best terms and conditions when discussing matters with the other partner’s representatives.

From this point of view, you can consider hiring a lawyer as a sort of safety net. You won’t need to worry about properly filling out paperwork, serving it to your spouse, or doing everything according to your local court’s procedure protocols. A lawyer can take care of those things.

Yet, hiring an attorney is quite expensive, and your divorce cost can easily climb up to $12,500. If things get messy and spouses begin to disagree on every little thing, the cost could go up even more. This is probably one of the largest downsides of using the services of a lawyer, but it’s necessary in cases of a contested divorce.

Bottom line

If you are going for an uncontested divorce, the first option is definitely better. You will save lots of money, nerves, and time. In addition, online companies can automatically generate your divorce papers in just two days for only $139. Still, going through all the procedures by yourself may be confusing.

Hiring an attorney is a smarter idea if you’re dealing with a contested divorce, but it will cost you way more. However, a lawyer will work exclusively for you and defend your interests to the best of one’s ability. Finally, hiring a professional often reduces the chances of making mistakes during the divorce process.