As the divorce rate continues to stay around 50 percent, many North Carolinians are looking for fast and easy ways to undo the knot.
This has led to a rash of online services offering cheap divorce plans that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, it usually is.
A simple approach to complex issues
Divorce can be a complex process with many factors. No two marriages are alike, and that holds true with the separation.
What these online services advertise is a fast, easy resolution to your marriage for one low payment. They promise a quick resolution to your divorce without any hassle.
These online forms offer a broad approach that won’t address the majority of your concerns, such as:
- How do courts determine premarital assets?
- What specific custody schedule may work best for my situation?
- How do we handle finances while we are separating households and divorcing?
- Who gets to keep the family pet?
- How will the sale of a house or other real property be handled?
- What is the process for dividing retirement accounts and what additional documents need to be completed?
- What deeds or title transfers need to occur subject to the terms of the agreement and who prepares these?
- How do “legal” custody decisions about medical care, schooling, and extra-curricular activities get handled, and what happens when parents cannot agree?
Unfortunately, online divorce forms cannot offer personalized advice for these kinds of questions. A divorce impacts many parts of your life, which means it can be a complex experience.
What many couples find out too late is that online standardized forms fall far short of what they need. By then, problems have cropped up and their divorce has dragged on for twice as long (and costs way more) than it ever should have.
Personal expertise for a personal issue
A skilled family law attorney can help guide you through a separation. They can ensure that your questions are answered before the process starts and create a thorough timeline of the divorce.
If you have any questions about getting a divorce, don’t just jump in. Speak to an attorney to get an idea of what your situation looks like and the best way to approach a separation.