The cost of going through a divorce can put a dent in your finances, however, if your joint assets are minimal, a do-it-yourself divorce could be a more economical option. There are several sources where you can find the needed paperwork for a do-it-yourself divorce, such as your local courthouse or library.
The ideally, a do-it-yourself divorce is a no fault divorce. Irreconcilable differences is generally the declared cause, but the stated reason for the divorce may be different depending on the laws in the state where you live.
If you’ve not been married long, or you don’t have many financial assets to divide, and don’t have any children or child custody issues, a do-it-yourself divorce could be a good option for your situation. A do-it-yourself divorce may just work for your situation provided that your break up is an amicable one, even if your divorce is a little more complex.
You may want to consider using an online do-it-yourself divorce service, to save yourself the hassle of going to your local courthouse, finding the proper forms and figuring out how to fill them out correctly. A number of these services have do-it-yourself divorce kits, which cover everything from legal forms with instructions to property and asset settlements, as well as how to calculate child support and make provisions for child custody.
The do-it-yourself divorce kit can save you a large amount of time and money, as long as you and your spouse can talk and work things out in a rational and respectful manner. It’s a difficult and stressful situation when you’re working things through to end your marriage, but it doesn’t have to be financially devastating.
Choosing to go the do-it-yourself divorce route can greatly reduce the expenses involved in getting a divorce and may actually expedite the divorce process. A do-it-yourself divorce does require more direct communication and interaction with your soon to be ex-spouse and, if the two of you cannot reach an agreement because of your bitterness or anger about your circumstances, you’d be better served hiring qualified legal help.