do you really need a lawyer for your divorce?

Do you really need a lawyer for your divorce? The answer is a very lawyerly one – it depends.

Where the parties are amicable and able to reach agreements on all or most issues, an attorney might not be needed. If you and your spouse are able to communicate what each of you would like and how you want to handle all aspects of divorce, including asset and debt division, support, and child custody and support if you have children, then you may be able to work together and complete the process yourselves without incurring fees for an attorney.

Even where you and your spouse are amicable, if you have a lot of assets or debts, having an attorney may benefit you to ensure that all items are included and divided properly in the divorce. An attorney can be especially beneficial when you have retirement accounts that you are looking to divide, as it can be a complex process.

An alternative for parties who are amicable but have a more complex asset and debt situation is to work with an attorney who serves as a mediator. The mediator can help you ensure that you have managed all issues and in some cases will help you prepare the paperwork. Having one mediator can help save costs, however, you do not have the benefit of an attorney who is advocating just for you.

An attorney serving as a mediator can also be a good option where you and your spouse have not yet reached an agreement on all issues or may have some areas of disagreement, but you are not too far apart in your desired outcomes and you believe that a neutral third party could help with your communications and help you reach a settlement.

If your case has complex issues, such many assets, and debts, disagreements over division of assets and debts or support, or disagreements about child custody and visitation, an attorney would likely be beneficial to you. An attorney will help you focus in on what issues are important to you, what results you want, and what results are reasonable to expect. An attorney serves as your advocate and tries to ensure that all results are as beneficial to you as possible.

If you think a lawyer would be beneficial to your matter or you have questions about whether you need a lawyer, contact us at Romanovska Law.