Three Reasons Why DIY Divorce Is Generally Not Your Best Bet

 Posted on February 19, 2024 in Divorce

People about to go through a divorce are commonly concerned about the costs involved. When you are busy wondering how you will be able to transition from a situation of shared income and expenses to one of financial independence and being responsible for covering the costs of living and raising children on your own, the idea that you will now need to pay a lawyer for however long the process will take can seem unimaginable. As you start researching the divorce process online, you will likely find websites claiming to offer easy and inexpensive ways to have a “do it yourself” divorce without needing a lawyer.

Understandably, people sometimes opt out of hiring a lawyer, especially since you are not required by law to have one represent you in your divorce. However, if your specific situation involves conflict, an owned business, a complex financial portfolio, or children, having an experienced attorney represent you and your interests can be pivotal. If you are considering divorce, a compassionate Wheaton, IL divorce attorney can offer you invaluable guidance.

Reason 1: Added Stress

Going through a divorce is generally a stressful experience. If you have never been divorced before, you likely are unaware of how stressful it truly can be. A divorce lawyer has been through it all before and can give you guidelines and explanations throughout the process, and will likely have office support that can ensure documents are properly completed and filed on time. Many people find they would not be able to put a price on the peace of mind they were given by having a professional attorney who understood all the legalese and was able to guide them through their divorce.

Reason 2: Added Costs

The prime reason why people would set out to have a DIY divorce is to cut costs. They believe the lawyers’ fees would be too hard for them to cover at a time when they are trying to be careful with their money before any division of assets. While this is a valid concern, the issue is that if you are not familiar with the divorce process, you likely do not know what you are doing. Mistakes you make can ultimately end up costing even more money than you thought you would save by not hiring a lawyer. An experienced attorney can advocate for a divorce settlement that will be the most beneficial to you in the long run, including arrangements for spousal support or child support that might be more financially expedient than whatever arrangement you would have reached on your own.

Reason 3: Added Time

Since it is all too easy to make mistakes when navigating divorce without an attorney by your side, you and your spouse might end up needing to spend extra time correcting those mistakes and the process of modifying a divorce settlement - whether the issues are in the parenting plan you have drawn up or aspects of property division - can be very difficult once a divorce is finalized. When you have a lawyer help you draft your divorce settlement, you are doing everything you can to get it right the first time rather than needing to spend time and possibly more money correcting it later.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a DuPage County Divorce Attorney

At Davi Law Group we understand the concern about keeping costs low in your divorce. However, we are also all too familiar with the pitfalls past clients have dealt with in their attempts at a DIY divorce. Call 630-657-5052 to schedule a free consultation and hear about how an experienced Wheaton, IL divorce lawyer can help reduce the time, costs, and stress that a DIY divorce might bring.