Divorce can be an expensive process. On average, most Americans can expect to spend around $13,000 on a divorce, provided there are no children involved.
While legally dissolving a marriage is naturally a messy process, many couples still get along fairly well. They simply divorce because they have grown apart. Since the spouses still act amicably toward one another, they may think they can get through this process without attorneys. Although it is a nice thought, you should always have a lawyer in your corner just in case.
Lawyers handle the paperwork
Both sides need to sign various documents to ensure everything is in order. These documents need to contain proper language, including standard boilerplate, to ensure all the terms of the divorce will hold up in court. Without a proper understanding of legal terminology, you and your spouse may not do everything correctly. It is worth it to hire a lawyer to make sure your assets will be secure.
Spouses often do not actually agree on everything
You and your spouse have agreed on what to do with the house, vehicles and children. You may think those are the primary things to discuss in a divorce, but the truth of the matter is that there are plenty of other matters to settle on. For example, did you talk about who would pay for any unexpected medical costs for the children? Lawyers make sure you talk about everything.
Lawyers are there for your best interests
Many people worry that the lawyers will change the agreement behind their backs. While this is a rare occurrence, lawyers only scrap entire agreements when these are grossly unfair to the client. Lawyers sometimes delay the signing of the agreement until it is fair to both parties, and no one is left out in the cold. Attorneys want to ensure the agreement is ironclad or else there is a greater likelihood disputes can come up later down the road.