While the whole way of ending marital relations is confusing and exceptionally stressful, it also comes with much financial spending. And if you are one of those couples striving to end their marital relations on paper, then you will probably want to save as much as possible.
It is not a secret that lots of divorces have already bankrupted a good many, as well as ruined the lives and future of their kids. So, the question asks itself –“How much does one cost?” It is worth mentioning that some factors may influence the cost one has to pay. Let’s get a closer look at the issue and consider what these conditions are:
- the type of your divorce;
- whether or not you are going to hire a lawyer;
- the place of your residence;
- whether or not you and your respondent can find common ground.
There are no two similar cases; therefore, to understand exactly how much you will have to pay in the final count, it is important to consider your situation in particular and take heed of all the complexities of your case. One of the cheapest ways of ending your matrimony is to get a legal divorce online. Let’s find out how the latter works.
How Does a Cheap Online Divorce Work?
Nowadays, more and more married couples decide on using Internet tools when it comes to ending their marital relations. Like a do-it-yourself divorce, an online one requires petitioners to take everything very serious. This is mainly because websites hold responsibility only for doing all the forms without any lawyers being involved. In the USA, there are states which support electronic filing; however, due to the many specifications, you will need much time and effort to learn how to choose correct forms and fill them out as is right and proper.
If you are getting through an uncontested divorce, then obtaining services from one of the many online divorce websites is a good choice to make. “How do they work?” – you will ask. Everything is pretty clear. All you will have to do is to provide some info about yourself on the website you choose and wait until the latter does all the needed forms for you so that you can file a complete package of documents without undue effort. Keep in mind that some service providers will have an attorney reviewing your forms before sending them to you, while others will not offer this sort of services. On the Net, there are many companies enabling people to get divorced most conveniently. Moreover, they are meant to not only save you much time but also funds.
Nevertheless, far not all marrieds can benefit from those websites. If you and your “almost” ex get overwhelmed with all the issues that you two have to settle on your own, then you should better hire legal experts rather than opt for an online divorce help. However, if you feel like getting through the divorce on the Net fits the bill, read on to check if you are completely right:
- If you are going to deal with an uncontested case, where spouses struggle with reaching an understanding regarding important matters, then hiring a lawyer is inevitable. While having a website to prepare your docs for you is a great opportunity, in your situation, it is extremely important to come up with an agreement that you two are fine with as it will be very difficult to correct later on. For this very reason, it is better to put your case in the hands of a legal professional.
- Calling for a divorce help online is a relatively cheap option to choose: there are lots of websites that charge a fee that is much lower than the fee of a lawyer. However, keep in mind that the fee you will be charged on the Net will greatly depend on the complexity of your situation.
- Watch for scammers! Many scam sites are striving to cash in on you; therefore, doing a little research before choosing one website or another is quite justifiable. Additionally, check if the website you are going to land is easy to navigate; otherwise, you will have much trouble doing your docs.
- If you think that preparing your docs and filing them electronically will obviate the need for visiting a court-house hundred percent, then you dilute yourself. As soon as the filed package is reviewed by a judge, you may be asked to visit a court for a discussion. You are more likely to be invited to a court-house if you have minors.
- Before you decide to obtain services from sites, it is crucial to understand that the latter ones are not legal professionals by no means. All they do is helping you fill out the required forms – that’s it. Of course, some websites are offering legal support, but you will have to pay for the service as relevant, and the fee may be quite overcharged. Anyway, if you and your respondent come into conflict regularly, then no website will be able to help you. An attorney is the only person who can help both of you dot every “i” and cross every “t” regarding important issues such as custody, separation of property, etc. In a nutshell, if you and your husband/wife are not on the same wavelength, forget about a quick divorce online.
- Each state establishes its family laws; therefore, it is very easy to get confused with all the specifications when trying to get a clue about the laws that are in effect in your very state. Since there are websites offering a general set of forms no matter the state, there may be some specifications that are peculiar to your state’s laws and thus different forms may be required. And if you submit wrong docs, be ready that you will have to redo them again and again until the package is correct.
How Much Will You Plunk Down for the Websites’ Services?
Creating an account with a relevant website and using its platform will cost you $150-$350 approximately. However, this is not the final amount of money you will have to pay as the filing and other possible costs are not included in the mentioned fee. So, be ready to pay extra $350-$1,550 as well. Given that, a total cost that may be charged to you may range between $500-$1,900.
