Divorce is probably one of the most challenging decisions a couple has to make.
Breaking up with someone you have vowed to spend your whole life with is never easy, and it takes a toll on both parties involved.
Though it is a difficult decision to make, it is the only way to leave a situation that may not work for you, and this will help you live a more fulfilled life.
There is no point in staying in a situation that makes you feel bad about yourself. No matter what anybody says; life is too short and fragile to try and make something that is broken whole again.
In a contested divorce, the couple disagrees on some issues, which causes the case to be heard in front of a judge
Lawyers and mediators are usually involved in the process. A contested divorce is more time consuming and typically requires much more money. The judge will control the outcome of the divorce based on the defenses made by the lawyers.
Online Divorce
For couples who have an uncontested agreement, the option of having an online divorce is the quickest and most viable way to initiate the divorce process.
Think of it like filing taxes online; the process of online divorce is quick, efficient, and cheap.
Especially in this era where people prefer online services to face-to-face meetings, the process has simplified how divorce is handled.
In an online divorce, the couple will complete a questionnaire about critical issues related to their case.
The service then uses the answers to select and complete the legal paperwork used in court based on the client’s state and county requirements.
There are many reasons why divorcing couples prefer online divorce, including:
- It is cheap. You will save thousands of dollars compared to paying for an attorney and, in some cases, other expenditures, including appraisal fees for your property, parenting courses, and additional documentation fees.
- Lower risk. When filing your divorce online, you will minimize the chances of making errors in your documentation and being rejected by the court. The online divorce service will guide you on the best way to answer the questions.
- Convenient, fast, and private. You do not need to be physically present. The entire divorce document preparation process takes place online and can be done from the comfort of your home. Hence, you will save time, and all information will remain private.
Steps for an Online Divorce
For a divorce to be successful using the online procedure, you and your spouse need to be in complete agreement on the basics of divorce.
Discuss how you will separate your assets and if there are children involved, ensure you have set out a plan as to how you will share responsibilities for them.
Having an agreement will reduce the chances of having one aggrieved party, which may cause the online divorce to be withdrawn.
After agreeing on the different vital terms, there are some necessary steps you may take to ensure that your online divorce is seamless:
- Find an online divorce service site that you will use to represent you.
- Fill out the necessary contact information.
- Fill out your spouse’s information.
- Specify if there are children involved in the process.
- Complete the questionnaire for divorce document preparation.
- Choose a payment method.
- Receive your complete divorce documents.
- File your documents with the court.
What You Should Know About Hiring an Online Divorce Company
Before dipping your toes into the online divorce service, you need to be aware of certain things. Consider the following factors.
1. Is the service legitimate?
The internet is full of schemers, and unfortunately, some of these scammers set up fake companies offering fake services to rip you off.
It’s not uncommon for people to lose money by falling for online scams.
Before deciding on a service, ensure that the company is registered legitimately and can provide the promised benefits.
Look at their history and find online reviews about the service. To be safe, find an online service that has been around a long time with good reviews.
2. Know the basics of the procedure.
Though the process of online divorce is simplified, you must know the basics of the divorce process.
The process of divorce involves some common steps, and you will have to know these steps to follow up on the online process and ensure that you do not miss any deadlines.
3. Online divorce is only for uncontested divorces.
The online divorce process is only for uncontested cases where all issues have already been discussed and agreed upon by both spouses.
If you have a problem agreeing on how to split the resources you share or how you will share the responsibilities of the children, it may be best to find yourself a good lawyer to represent you in court.
4. Find an excellent online divorce company.
Since there are several companies available that will offer online divorce services, it is good to go for the ones which are ranked highest.
The good thing is that this type of information is available online, making it easy for you to find the best company.
An excellent online divorce service is one that will ensure you have information on the divorce process, including specific state laws for the place you are filing.
A good company will also ensure that the process is carried out efficiently and correctly to avoid delays.
5. Find out if the company you use offers guarantees.
Any document used in court has to be guaranteed; this means that the company you use should ensure that the documents have been approved and can hold up in any court.
This will save you the stress of having to repeat the whole process.
6. Find a company that covers a broad jurisdiction.
Since online divorce can be done from any place, you need to ensure that the company you choose has a broad jurisdiction that will allow you to file from any region without moving from place to place to get the service.
Also, determine if your state allows for an online divorce, as the laws may vary from state to state.
Lastly
Divorce is not easy, regardless of the agreements you and your spouse may have between the two of you.
Therefore, you need peace of mind when transitioning from the married phase to the divorced phase, which may mean using an online service to facilitate the divorce.
To avoid unnecessary stress, ensure that you have done your research beforehand and that both you and your spouse are on the same page regarding all divorce-related issues.
The process of online divorce is easy and less costly, but you have to choose the right company for the process to run smoothly.