The first month of the New Year is reportedly the most popular time of year to file for divorce and the PGM family team always see a rise in new cases after the festive season. We also see increasing numbers of people approaching us following attempts to keep the cost down with a DIY divorce.
Without specialist legal advice you can get things very wrong and this can delay matters and or increase costs you may not know about it until you are years down the line. Divorces are a permanent process and it can be difficult and highly costly to undo any mistakes that are made.
A divorce does not need to cost a lot of money, especially if those involved are in agreement as to the issues regarding the divorce, such as division of property, support, custody of minor children and child support. However, it is difficult to achieve such an agreement without the proper legal guidance.
Division of property is FINAL and CANNOT be changed
Once parties agree on the division of their assets in a divorce, and a final settlement agreement is signed or an Order is issued by the Court, it often cannot be changed or revoked. Therefore, it is crucial that before agreeing to a division, parties know what constitutes marital and non-marital assets and the value of these items. Advice from your solicitor can save a lot of future regret.
A DIY divorce will not save money but will result in lost money
Cost is one of the primary reasons why parties choose a DIY divorce. However, failing to have professional guidance can actually cost more in the end. Parties are not educated on the law, and without a solicitor to assist them, they can neglect crucial issues.
Divorces are not meant to be DIY. Those who choose this route take a serious risk. At a minimum, before starting the process of a divorce one should meet with a solicitor and be advised of the law. Only then can a truly informed decision be made on how to best proceed.
Whilst it’s tempting to split quickly and cheaply, sometimes it’s worth taking a little longer to consider and to do things properly.
If you need guidance during a difficult time, please don’t hesitate to contact our specialist family law team on 01792 468684 or email enquiries@pgmsolicitors.co.uk.
You can be confident that you will receive a service tailored to suit your needs and be assured that we will be here every step of the way to offer advice and support.
