Having an uncontested divorce is a good way to reduce how much time you spend on your divorce. For two people who get along or who are able to work together to come to a resolution on the case, an uncontested divorce is a good way to move forward without having to litigate.
In an uncontested divorce, you and your spouse reach agreements about all of the different issues in your divorce. For instance, you may reach agreements on:
- How to divide your debt
- How you will share custody time
- What kind of parenting time you’ll receive
- Your parenting responsibilities
- Who will keep your home or other properties
- If someone will pay spousal support or not, and if so, for how long
These kinds of issues won’t come up in every divorce, but to have an uncontested divorce, you do need to address the issues that impact yours.
If your divorce is uncontested, can you “do it yourself”?
With an uncontested divorce, you may not need to worry about litigation, but it’s still important to know your legal rights and responsibilities. Even if you decide to do much of the paperwork or decision-making on your own, it’s smart to discuss your decisions with an attorney privately. That way, they can give you insight on any issues that you may have missed discussing, like the tax implications of a decision or issues with your forms.
Some people try to avoid working with an attorney because it may be expensive, but if you find an attorney with unbundled divorce services, then you could save money by handling a DIY divorce yourself while having an attorney review your documents or help with one or two issues you’re unsure of how to handle.
Divorces can be messy, and it’s fortunate if you are able to go through one that is not contested. At the same time, you do need to remember to protect your own rights and future. Once you sign contracts and agreements, it will be more difficult to change them, so it’s worth getting more legal insight before you decide to agree to anything with your spouse.