3 Reasons Not to DIY Your Divorce
Divorce is one of the most stressful life events we can go through. Beyond the breakdown of a relationship, you also need to come to terms with a new life, new routine and, potentially, a new home, too. This can be further complicated if you have children, own a business together, or share any significant assets (like property).
For these reasons, divorce can turn out to be a long-drawn-out process – one that makes it even harder for you to move on, get the closure you need, and focus on the future.
It can be tempting to take the path of least resistance and try to manage your divorce alone. There is no legal requirement for you to work with a solicitor, after all – it’s relatively simple to get the process started online, and even easier now that the no-fault divorce is available to UK couples looking to divorce without assigning blame to one person or the other.
But DIY-ing your divorce is a huge risk. Here are three reasons why.
You may not get as much closure as you think
Couples with relatively straightforward finances may decide it’s simply easier and less ‘messy’ to come to an agreement themselves about splitting any savings, property, and joint accounts.
The trouble is, what feels like a fair agreement now may turn sour months or years down the line. DIY divorces often overlook important issues such as consideration of pension resources and /or proper settlement of jointly owned property assets, leaving the door wide open for future financial disputes. Also, getting a solicitor involved will ensure that you obtain a formal court order officially dismissing the financial claims arising from a marriage which the divorce application itself does not deal with. Right now, you may not think your ex would want to reopen old wounds, but the only way to be sure it won’t happen is to get your interests protected with sound legal advice and a financial remedy order.
Working with a specialist divorce solicitor like those at willans.co.uk in Cheltenham, will help you to achieve a sound financial settlement upon your divorce and eliminate the risk of having a big question mark hanging over your future financial circumstances.
You may not get what you deserve
It’s understandable why you might be in a rush to get to your final divorce order in the online divorce application, but that urge to move on can often lead to people agreeing to financial arrangements that leave them at a real disadvantage. Even if you believe that your proposed financial settlement arrangement is fair, a solicitor may be able to identify ways in which an alternative solution might be better for you and your former spouse in the longer term.
True, talking to a solicitor forces you to confront the situation head-on, and that may feel very uncomfortable right now, but the long-term outlook is far brighter if you can push yourself to face that discomfort and properly consider and explore all options open to you.
Legal support works alongside emotional support
Friends, relatives and your therapist or counsellor will all form an important part of your own personal safety net as life is thrown up in the air during a divorce process. Whilst emotional support is essential, it cannot replace the peace of mind and sense of security that sound legal advice can offer. Solicitors can work alongside professional therapists and financial experts to ensure that clients benefit from a fully rounded service as they adjust to life after divorce. Sometimes a one off legal consultation is all that is needed, other times the legal support is needed for longer – much depends on the complexity of the case and legal issues faced.
Why go it alone and risk making costly mistakes when expert help is on hand to guide you through the minefield of a divorce process.
This is a submitted article
