3 Reasons a D-I-Y Divorce is Not Right for You

By: Robinson & Henry, Attorneys At Law
PublishedJan 30, 2024
2 minute read

Divorce is more than a stressful legal process. It’s a huge life change. Let’s go over the top three reasons why a DIY divorce may not be for you. A DIY approach may work for lots of other things. For example, when it comes to certain home renovation projects, you may want to invest in some sweat equity. But a do-it-yourself divorce is almost always a bad idea. Here are the top three reasons why you should get a divorce attorney.

A do-it-yourself divorce is almost always a terrible idea. Here are 3 reasons not to do a D-I-Y divorce.

1. Save Some Time

Hiring an attorney saves you time. Many of our clients have no idea the amount of tedious paperwork involved in getting a divorce completed in Colorado.

A Robinson & Henry attorney plugs you into a team of trained professionals who do this paperwork day in and day out. Our paralegals and lawyers know exactly which forms need to be completed. They can do it properly while saving you a lot of time. If you’re like most people, you’re busy with so many things already. If you’re going to be in the middle of a divorce, why not save yourself some of that time by hiring an attorney?

2. Avoid Extra Stress

Going through a divorce is possibly one of the most emotionally taxing times in your life. Even the rare amicable divorce process can have its sticky areas. Contentious divorces can be times of considerable personal upheaval. It’s stressful enough even without trying to do it yourself. When you hire an attorney, you’ll have someone who is professionally prepared to advocate for your best interests, someone who has your back.

Also, an attorney can communicate directly with your soon-to-be ex, so you don’t have to. Chances are, if you’re not getting along well during your marriage, you’re probably not going to get along well during the divorce proceedings. An attorney can reduce some of that conflict and stress for you.

3. Save Some Money

Hiring an attorney can actually save you money. This might sound counterintuitive because most people assume that hiring an attorney is a pretty significant upfront investment. That’s true. It can be intimidating to put down that much money to hire a professional. Nevertheless, hiring an attorney can save you money in the short term and the long term.

Examples

Short-term Savings:

In the short term, if you decide to take a DIY approach to your divorce, you could end up filling out the wrong forms, filling out forms incorrectly, or missing some crucial, court-required step. Then you’d have to hire an attorney to go back and correct the mistakes that you made. It’s more cost-effective to start the process with a professional in your corner.

Here’s another example: I would never change the brakes on my car by myself. Why? Because I don’t have the skill, training, or experience to do that job correctly. Most likely, I would end up taking it to a mechanic anyway. Getting things done right the first time saves you money in the short term.

Long-term Savings:

Never underestimate the long-term effect that a divorce can have on your life in the long run. Have you considered whether you could end up paying or receiving spousal maintenance (alimony), or child support?

If you’re on one side of that equation, you probably don’t want to pay more than necessary. If you’re on the receiving end, you don’t want to get stuck with less financial support than you’re rightfully owed. An attorney can help calculate these monthly amounts correctly so you’re not paying too much or receiving too little. A good lawyer can also spot key factors in your case that could benefit you even more.

Here are a couple of examples:

  • you didn’t know that you were entitled to a portion of your spouse’s retirement, or
  • something you owned before the marriage should have been considered separate property and not included in the division of the marital estate. These are just two ways that having an attorney can help you save money in the long term. There could be more, depending on your specific situation.

Get Connected With a Divorce Attorney

If you are contemplating a divorce, give us a call at 303-688-0944 to schedule your case assessment with one of our family law attorneys.

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