Many people go into marriages with the mindset that it will last a lifetime. However, life happens and this dream may become shattered years into the marriage. Seeking a divorce is legal, however, the question on the lips of many is whether they need a divorce attorney to see them through the process or not.
Usually, people who consider not needing an attorney have many factors in mind – money being the chief factor. It is, however, important to note that no matter how educated you are, you aren’t as experienced in the field of family law as a family lawyer.
Jensen Family Law – Mesa considers handling your own divorce to be similar to filing your own taxes. While you think you have gotten a hang of it, there are higher chances that you will make mistakes or even report a lot more in taxes than you should, either way, you are on the losing end of the deal.
To ensure that your rights and interests remain protected as you navigate the murky waters of a divorce, you should strongly consider involving the services of a professional.
– But we have both agreed amicably?
One of the common reasons why people think they do not need the services of a divorce lawyer is because they believe both parties involved have agreed amicably to the divorce. While this may be true, other hurdles like child custody and visitation, asset and debt division, child support, spousal support, and others may cause a difference of opinions.
With diverse opinions on how marital assets should be shared in play, the amicable understanding may soon be thrown out of the window. The expertise of an attorney, however, can help to guide both parties towards making the best decision.
– I don’t want to hire a divorce lawyer
Hiring a divorce lawyer is much less expensive compared to losing all that you have worked for over the years. Choosing not to hire a lawyer can put you at a disadvantage, especially when you are presented with contracts that have subtle meaning and those meanings are bound to hurt you and your finances. Having a divorce lawyer ensures that all contracts to be signed have been carefully read and legally interpreted to ensure that they are fair and are not harmful to you both now and in the future.
If you remain undecided about choosing a divorce lawyer to go through this life-altering process with you, consider answering the following questions as truthfully as you can;
– Do you have minor children in the marriage?
Having minor children in a marriage means you need a parenting plan, decide on custody and visitation rights. Hiring an attorney ensures that you are not completely erased from the picture and can instead spend quality time to bond with your children despite the divorce ruling.
– Do you own real estate?
If you have real estate, chances that you may be required to sell it exists as part of the divorce proceeding. Hiring a lawyer can, however, save you from this as the lawyer, working in your own best interest, may be able to negotiate a better deal, one that lets you keep the real estate in exchange for certain other items that hold the same or higher value.
Additionally, if you choose to sell the house, hiring an attorney can help you simplify the process thus making the real estate a non-issue in the divorce process.
– Does one or both of you have retirement plans?
During a divorce, retirement plans are often considered to be marital assets and this means that you may have to part with some of the amounts you have accrued over the years. Seeing as the cumulative of your retirement funds is worth a lot to you, protecting it is essential, and what better way to do this than to hire an attorney who is familiar with the process and can help you to keep this asset protected.
Even if it’ll be shared, the sharing formula can be tricky and you want to make sure that you are not parting with more than you should.
– Will either of the spouses file for support?
Spousal support is a hugely contested area of divorce, those filing for it believe they deserve to be compensated until they can find their footing, those whom it is filed against do not want to part with any more of their hard-earned money to support their ex. Whichever side of the spectrum you are on, you surely need an attorney to see you through it.