You and your spouse have decided to divorce. Despite your marital differences, you both agree on a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach. You believe it will save money in legal fees and give you better control over tailoring a divorce to suit your family’s needs. While a DIY divorce may be appealing, it can lead to significant challenges. Having experienced legal counsel by your side can avoid many pitfalls.
Woodard & Ferguson, Attorneys at Law, has counseled and represented clients facing family law challenges for more than four decades. Whether you are contemplating or already involved in a contested or uncontested divorce, it is crucial to understand the long-term consequences of your divorce decree. The terms you agree to can significantly impact your financial stability, emotional well-being, and children’s welfare. Let us help you make the right decisions for your family’s future.
Pitfalls of a Do-It-Yourself Divorce
- Legal Mistakes: Without legal counsel, you may misinterpret the language in a divorce decree regarding your rights and responsibilities related to property division, alimony, child custody, and spousal support. This misunderstanding can lead to unfavorable terms and long-term issues. Without professional legal guidance, you may also encounter delays due to missed deadlines or improperly filed or completed documents. Some important documents in a divorce are the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, the Child Support Guidelines Worksheet, the Financial Affidavit, the Parenting Plan, and the Marital Settlement Agreement.
- Emotional Reactions: Spouses in divorce may harbor intense emotions, such as resentment and anger towards their spouse and fear about an uncertain future. These feelings can cloud judgment and hinder rational decision-making. Rather than finding common ground in property, financial, and custody agreements, spouses can become fixated on seeking revenge against their spouse. What starts as an uncontested divorce can quickly become a contested divorce, increasing the stress and expense for both parties.
- Concealed Assets and Debts: Whether intentional or unintentional, spouses may fail to disclose all of their financial assets during a divorce. This issue is particularly relevant in high-net-worth divorce cases and when spouses own businesses. Are your bank account statements no longer coming to your home? Is your spouse suddenly gifting or lending money to family or friends? These are indicators of hidden money and assets. An experienced divorce attorney can help uncover concealed assets by gathering and thoroughly reviewing tax returns and financial statements. Often, inconsistencies can reveal hidden funds and assets.
- Advice from Family and Friends: Without sound legal counsel and support, managing a family’s upheaval while navigating a divorce is difficult. Family and friends offer support and are well-meaning; however, they are not qualified to give legal advice. Their well-meaning suggestions and advice may fuel the flames of an already contentious spousal relationship. Legal matters such as parenting time, child support, alimony, and the division of assets are highly complex and require an experienced divorce attorney.
- Tax Implications: Tax considerations during and after a divorce must be addressed, including filing your tax return for the year of the divorce and understanding the impact of child-related deductions, alimony, property division, and the liquidation of retirement and investment accounts. A divorce attorney can help explain and navigate these tax implications and ensure you make informed decisions about your financial future.
Woodard & Ferguson: Empowering Families through Challenging Times
When you and your spouse go it alone without legal counsel, you risk signing an unfair settlement. Once a divorce agreement is finalized, modifications are possible only if circumstances change significantly since the signing. At Woodard & Ferguson, we mitigate risks by providing clear explanations of the laws and how they apply to your situation. Our experienced legal team helps you decide the best course of action for your divorce. We are skilled in effectively navigating the courts to streamline the divorce process and can mediate disputes to avoid complex litigation.
In addition to divorce, Woodard & Ferguson, Attorneys at Law, handle a wide range of family law matters, including domestic violence injunctions, paternity, post-divorce modifications, and relocation adjustments. Contact Attorney David L. Ferguson or Attorney Katherine F. Woodard at (386) 677-0822 to schedule a confidential consultation at our Ormond Beach, Florida, office. We proudly serve clients throughout the Daytona Beach area and beyond. Let us guide you through this time with confidence and clarity.
