Make Certain You Get Advice on Filling Out the Divorce Application

For those who are not in the legal profession, the process of filling out a divorce application can be a difficult one. It is for this reason that most people choose to at least get advice from a lawyer or paralegal before making the decision to file the divorce papers on their own. While obtaining a do-it-yourself-divorce kit can save a substantial amount of money, it can also be frustrating if you fail to fill out the paperwork properly. It can create undue delays in your case coming into court because you will have to re-file the petition properly before your case will come before the court. rnIf you wish to file your divorce application without paying the high cost of a lawyer, you might want to obtain some legal advice. Take your application to a paralegal, law student or someone else who is experienced in family law and can help you properly fill out the forms necessary to ensure your divorce goes smoothly. It is certainly more beneficial if you and your spouse agree to end the marriage and have worked out an agreement about your marital assets and other financial holdings such as: • Distribution of the marital home and other jointly owned real estatern• Savings accounts, CDs, Money Market Accounts and other liquid investmentsrn• Stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other securities including retirement funds and 401K Plansrn• Assignment of debtsrn• Distribution of household goodsrn• Child support, visitation and custodyrn• Alimony or spousal supportrn• Continuation of health insurancernWhile you may want to quickly make an agreement with your spouse in order to obtain a divorce as quickly as possible, you may be cutting yourself short. This is one reason many states do not recommend do-it-yourself kits in cases involving property or children. If you fall into this category but want to save the cost of a divorce lawyer, obtain advice for someone who is experienced in filing divorce applications or even sit down with a divorce lawyer for assistance filling out the paperwork—he or she will charge you an hourly fee for the service, but it will be well worth the money you spend. rnAnother option available for those wishing to fill out a divorce application on their own is to consult their local law library. With many different books and other legal resources, even those with the least amount of legal expertise can learn how to fill out a divorce application and file the petition. In addition you are likely to find some law students in the vicinity who will be more than willing to help you with the paperwork. It is likely to cost you a little bit of money but not nearly as much as you would have to pay if you were to choose to hire a divorce lawyer to handle all of the paperwork for you—even less than what you might pay to consult with a divorce lawyer for assistance filling out the paperwork necessary to file a divorce petition.