DIY Divorces?

StrawberryAlarmClock

Are the online divorces or the "kits" any good? If so, can you recommend one in particular? If not, what are they missing/doing wrong? t TIA! (as you can tell, marital therapy session #2 did not go well. Psychologist referred him to a substance abuse counselor and he chose not to go)

leepinlizzards

You're basically paying a paralegal to prepare the paperwork.  The attorney will only be there for the final hearing.

Most courts now have the divorce packet you fill in yourself online.

I recommend getting a lawyer.  Unless you both 100% agree on everything, in which case you could theoretically do it yourself.

BostonGayGal

It continually amazes me how people will go online for crap instead of GOING TO THE COURT WHERE YOU WILL DIVORCE and getting the forms. The clerk's office will let you know if there are forms online which will make it even easier.

If the assets are easily divided and the terms are agreed upon, an uncontested divorce is a GREAT place to start.  Even if there is later a disagreement that causes you to get an attorney, at least you will have plowed through most of the basic agreed upon issues. You will be cutting down on the work the attorney may be charging by the hour for. 

StrawberryAlarmClock

Thanks, guys. I'm just so scared of how much this is going to cost. I'm in grad school and I can barely do mortgage and daycare with both of our salaries.  With this housing market, it's not like I can just dump our house and hole up in an apartment until I get my feet back under me financially.

Maybe we should separate and I should save up money to do it officially?

 

Oh and BGG. I'm a siggy-stalker of yours! haha Which one of you is that stunning brunette? (The blonde is gorgeous as well, btw!!)

BostonGayGal

If you agree to terms and can do an uncontested divorce without an attorney it will just cost the filing fee, unless they force you to pay for parenting classes or such. In MA it is somewhere @$200-$300.

And thank you! My wife is the stunning one  I scored. 

julia0402

BostonGayGal:

If you agree to terms and can do an uncontested divorce without an attorney it will just cost the filing fee, unless they force you to pay for parenting classes or such. In MA it is somewhere @$200-$300.

This is what we did.  I just went to the courthouse and filed; they gave me all the paperwork and I paid the $300 filing fee (Connecticut).  I also had to pay $125 for a parenting class.  So my divorce cost $425 total.  No kits required!  Of course this is only if you can agree on custody, visitation, division of property and debts, etc.

P.S. BGG you and your wife are both gorgeous, just sayin!  

StrawberryAlarmClock

BostonGayGal:

If you agree to terms and can do an uncontested divorce without an attorney it will just cost the filing fee, unless they force you to pay for parenting classes or such. In MA it is somewhere @$200-$300.

And thank you! My wife is the stunning one  I scored. 

You both scored.

Thanks for the advice. I'd never heard of needing a parenting class if you didn't show evidence of being an unfit parent so perhaps it's not a PA thing? Thanks again.

phelpsam

I don't remember what web site I used but...When I wanted to divorce my ex I searched online for forms.  Found one for adobe and downloaded it.  I plugged in my information, his and what the terms of the divorce would be and printed out a copy for me, him and the courts.  It ended up costing me $300 and I went to the county clerks office the signed it, and sent it to a judge to sign.  One month later I was divorced.

Of course now...we did not have children and the only major purchase we had made after we were married was the car I drive which is in my name only.  So I put in the paper work that I kept my car and would make the payments and he kept his truck which was already paid off!  House was in my name but I allowed him to live there so long as he paid the mortgage until he found another place to live.  (I couldn't afford the mortgage and we bought the house a month before we were married and because he had file bankrupcy it had to be in my name)  I got to keep the king size bed that was bought two weeks before we seperated and he got to keep the 60 inch flat screen.  (which he broke hahahah)  I