In the previous article, we discussed the first two concerns that may come up in a DIY divorce, making it more costly in the long run. There can be issues that arise when a spouse has not fully disclosed all of their assets or debts, over spousal and child support problems, or when the incorrect paperwork is filed.

Moving on, we’re going to wrap up this mini-series on why DIY divorces don’t always end up saving you money, by looking at the last item on the agenda: Agreeing to your spouse’s demands. (And why it may come back to bite you later on.)

Agreeing To Anything

While the divorce might seem to be a friendly one, and a soon-to-be ex may appear that they have no ulterior motives, looks can be deceiving. Without an attorney present to make certain that an individual’s rights are correctly represented, anything could happen. And we mean anything! (You wouldn’t believe the deviousness and manipulation we’ve seen over the years!)

Over the years, people have come to regret this often enough to make it a cause for concern. Something may sound right when presented to you a certain way, but in actual fact you’re getting ”bilked’ of your rights and entitlements, and you didn’t even know! If your spouse is a sweet talker, or can spin a story to sound one way when in fact the reality is something different entirely, you should watch out!

Divorce presents individuals with a host of future concerns, not least of which is their finances, so it is easy to see why a DIY divorce would be appealing. After all, attorneys are not cheap, and, in many cases, divorce means that a person is now faced with potentially supporting two households instead of just one.  

However, it’s worth bearing in mind the fact that attempting to fix the issues that could arise later from a divorce that was improperly handled, are an enormous source of stress. In addition, DIY divorce agreements, in particular those that would cause a court to vacate part or even all of an agreement, can cost tens of thousands of dollars to correct. And in the end, the parties involved may still not get the settlement they had hoped for.

There is an old quote attributed to Philip Stanhope, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield, that goes, “Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well“. And while it may seem odd to apply this theory to a divorce, it actually makes perfect sense. After all, a divorce occurs because a marriage has failed. In order to heal and move on you need to be able to put it behind you, which no one can successfully do if they have to spent considerable time and money cleaning up the mistakes for a second time later on down the line.

We hope this has been helpful for you if you’re considering pursuing a divorce on your own, without legal assistance. If, however, you have any questions or concerns about the divorce process, we would be happy to meet with you, and help you decide what is best for you and your family’s future. Our skilled family law attorneys have decades of experience handling divorce cases, and we can help you too.