39% of all United States marriages end in divorce. While that’s much less than the 50% number that’s often thrown around, it’s still a very high number.
Divorce is not a cavalier experience. No matter the circumstances, it’s a decision fraught with disappointment, self-doubt, and pain. So why should the process be painful?
Get your divorce started and over so you can focus on healing. Here’s how to get a divorce online so you can move on.
Are You a Candidate for an Online Divorce?
You both know it’s over and agree to part ways. It’s been a long road of tears and shame, but the time has come. You can’t resolve your issues and you’re ready to file for divorce.
You’ve heard about online divorces. Are they right for you?
Consider the Circumstances
Not all divorces are the same. The type of divorce you need depends on your circumstances as a married couple.
What are your shared property and assets? Are there children involved, and will there need to be a custody arrangement? What about alimony payments?
Where do you stand as a couple?
Even in divorce, your relationship impacts how you will proceed. A couple unable to communicate needs some kind of arbitration to hash out the details.
These factors determine your need to hire a Divorce Lawyer, and whether you can conduct your divorce online.
For an online divorce to work, you and your spouse have to talk.
Contested vs. Uncontested
A contested divorce is a court battle when the parties can’t agree on the terms of the divorce.
An uncontested divorce is the legal unbinding where the couple agrees on terms and doesn’t wish to involve the court. These are the best suited for an online divorce.
Uncontested Divorce
This type of divorce has different names depending on your state’s laws. They take the least amount of time and legal effort.
They’re also the only divorces you can do online and by yourself.
These divorces are for couples who agree it’s time to dissolve the marriage but don’t have much to fight over. Think about a young couple who have yet to have children or buy property together.
Even if one party doesn’t really want to divorce, there isn’t any real reason to fight it. Finances and living situations resolve easily, and there aren’t any children.
Uncontested divorces also work for couples who are able to communicate. Hollywood portrays all divorces as messy and long legal battles.
They can be, but there are some people who are able to divorce without much drama. They agree on custody and financial arrangements before they begin the process.
How to Get a Divorce Online
The process of an uncontested split is the same whether you do it online or in-person. Though states have different rules, there is a general process you’ll follow.
Here are the steps for how to get a divorce.
1. Determining Who Files
The person who files is the petitioner. When divorcing, the person who initiates is best suited to be the petitioner.
This is important, guys. If you want to divorce your wife, it’s up to you to do the work. If your wife wants a divorce, she should be willing to file all the necessary paperwork.
The best-case scenario? You and your spouse handle your uncontested divorce with equal work and seriousness.
2. Communicate
This is the key to an uncontested, online divorce. The time between the split and the legal proceedings is where you negotiate the terms.
This step is where you decide who gets what. Who keeps the house and the cars? How will you divide mutual assets? Where will the children live and how will you split their custody?
If you agree on all fronts, great. If not, you can keep your divorce uncontested. Work out any lingering conflict with a mediator.
3. File the Paperwork
In this step, the petitioner fills out and files all the initial divorce paperwork. This means any form involving the financial and custody details.
When seeking an online divorce, this is the step where you sign up and download the paperwork. Online divorce companies also offer detailed step-by-step guidance for your divorce.
Once completed, the petitioner files with a court clerk. You must file in person and pay a filing fee.
4. Serving the Papers
A legal adult with no involvement in the case serves these papers to the divorcee or respondent.
The respondent completes a proof of service form. You then file the completed form with the court.
5. Respondent Handling
The courts grant your spouse a period of time to file a response. They could decide to file if they have any lingering disagreements.
This is the moment of truth for your uncontested divorce. If your spouse chooses not to file a response, the rest of the process is a matter of time. If they choose to file, you’re likely in for a court battle.
6. Court Approval
A lack of a filed response leads you to this step. Both parties agree on the details and submit proper documents.
Now you wait for a judge to approve the terms of your divorce and sign a decree. Once you receive that final decree, your divorce is final.
How long does it take to get a divorce? Some states require a six-month period starting from the proof of service date. Even then, a finalized uncontested divorce depends on how fast the courts move.
Online Divorce Advantages
Divorces take attention to detail. A helping hand, even in the least complicated scenarios, never hurts.
Speed
When you sign up for an online divorce, the service provides the necessary documents. You can download and print them at home.
This saves you time and money. So often people must change their living arrangements before the filing process.
How quickly you can serve the papers is a huge factor in a drama-free uncontested divorce. The faster you can serve the papers means the less time any party has to reconsider any agreements made.
Form Completion
No matter how easy a divorce might seem, the paperwork can get complicated. An online divorce service does the work for you.
Rest easy knowing all the paperwork is correct and complete.
Step By Step Guide
When you do your divorce online, you’re paying for peace of mind. An online divorce service gives you a detailed guide on all the steps you need to take to finalize your divorce.
Customer Service
We’re not all lawyers. Even simple legal proceedings can feel complicated.
Pursuing an online divorce means you have access to legal experts at any time. They can answer your questions and review your completed forms.
Online Divorce Disadvantages
Online divorce isn’t for everyone. Certain aspects of your divorce may eliminate any advantages you’d receive.
Only Works if Uncontested
Online divorces won’t handle a contested divorce. The forms and legal proceedings of a contested divorce are too complicated. Expert counsel is a must for these divorce scenarios.
Price
The price of online divorce is cheaper than hiring a lawyer. That’s an advantage for most. The price is still prohibitive for some.
A young couple with no property, assets, or children is not the best candidate for an online divorce. There is little need for asset division or additional agreements that complicate the proceeding.
So Many Scams
An online divorce service offers you efficiency and peace of mind. There are many that are more than happy to take your money.
These services offer little guidance. You’ll still do all the work. If you decide to pursue an online divorce, make sure you perform plenty of research before you enter your credit card information.
Invalid Paperwork
Even though the divorce process is similar in most states, the paperwork isn’t. Each state has specific forms you must use throughout the process.
A reputable online divorce service provides all the proper forms. A disreputable one who gives you the wrong forms causes unnecessary delays and legal headaches.
An Online Divorce Eases Your Mind
Filing for a divorce is a sad, and sometimes a long process. No matter the circumstances, the period during divorce proceedings is stressful and depressing.
No good marriage ends in divorce. The speed with which you can move on depends on how you and your spouse tackle the process.
If you plan to file an uncontested divorce, follow this guide for how to get a divorce online. Online divorce is the quick and painless way to start your journey toward a new life.
Do you need more relationship advice? Check out the rest of our page.
