Saving Time and Money in Your Divorce

Two things that divorcing individuals tend to complain about are the length of time that it takes to get divorced, as well as the amount of money that you must spend in order to get divorced. Divorce is inevitably an emotionally draining process that often puts both individuals in precarious financial positions. As a result, a divorce that drags on for months or even years can be difficult for both parties, as well as their children, to endure. Fortunately, according to a recent Huffington Post article, there are some proactive steps that you can take in order to save you both time and money in your divorce.

Reducing Your Expenses in Your Divorce

For many people, the single biggest expense during a divorce is paying for a divorce attorney. In some situations, the cost of retaining an attorney to handle your divorce can seem so overwhelming that you may consider going it alone. The reality is that you are not qualified to handle your own divorce case. Divorce isn’t a matter of simply dividing up your stuff; it is also planning for your future, in terms of taking care of yourself and your children, as well as getting your fair share of the assets to which you are entitled and ensuring that your spouse takes some responsibility for marital debts. Some assets aren’t so easily divided up, such as the marital home and pension or retirement plans. For example, some retirement plans only can be divided through a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, which is a complex legal document that would be extremely difficult to handle on your own. In these situations, hiring a lawyer from the outset of your case may end up costing you less money in the long run than if you didn’t use an attorney. For instance, proceeding without a lawyer may result in you failing to get all of the assets to which you are entitled, or you may miss a step in the legal process that is so crucial that you will have to hire an attorney to fix it later.

Making the Divorce Process as Efficient as Possible

When you are facing a divorce, you may realize just how little you know about your family’s own finances, including assets and debts. You need to spend some time going through all of the financial aspects of your life – what you can afford and what you can’t, whether you need to get a job or find another job, and what support you need from your spouse, if any. Educate yourself about the family finances and know what is at stake in your divorce. This allows you to determine what you need from the divorce in order to adequately support yourself (and your children). By undergoing this process, you will save money in that your lawyer will not have to spend an excessive amount of time going through all of your finances with you, and you will be better prepared to resolve your divorce in the shortest amount of time possible. Likewise, by being aware of your financial situation, you can be ready to negotiate or mediate your divorce and hopefully get it finalized sooner rather than later.

Seek Legal Advice from Your Fort Lauderdale Divorce Attorney

If you are considering divorce or separation from your spouse or partner, you should be sure to immediately consult with an experienced Florida divorce attorney who can guide you through all aspects of the divorce process. Contact Vanessa L. Prieto Law Offices, LLC, today and see how we can help.