Cheap, Easy, & Fast: Too Good to Be True?

If you are doing Internet research on divorce, you’ve probably seen a few ads for online divorce services. Getting divorced for less than a few hundred dollars probably seems too good to be true. If you and your spouse want to handle your divorce on your own, these services may seem appealing. But, before you commit to paying for one of these online divorce services, there are a few things you should know.

What Do Online Divorce Services Do?

Not all online divorce services are created equal. Some offer limited scope help such as basic form preparation. The forms themselves are available for free to download or you can get them from the court. Usually a licensed attorney doesn’t do this and you will need to provide all the right information and make all the important decisions. Some services are more extensive and offer online accessible help from an attorney or “legal professional” that can provide individual legal advice. These are sometimes brick and mortar law firms trying to expand their online presence. If your case gets complicated or if you need to appear in court, however, online help may not be enough.

Buyer Beware

The lesson: know what the service provides and understand it may not fit your needs. You should also know that not everyone should use one of these online divorce services. If you have minor children, business interests, or a retirement plan to divide, online help may not be sufficient to ensure a fair and legally enforceable outcome.

An online divorce service may be a good option if you if you and your spouse can agree on all matters and you just need form preparation. If you do not agree, you may have to take your divorce to court. If you don’t agree on all matters but don’t want to resort to litigation, consider divorce mediation as a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative. An experienced Massachusetts divorce mediator can help you and your spouse work through conflict to create a separation agreement. An online representative can’t sit down with you two and help you negotiate a parenting time schedule. Nor can he or she help you put aside your disagreements to make the best decisions for your kids. Talk to your spouse about what issues need to be addressed in your divorce then decide if an online divorce service is right for you.

If you have questions about online divorce services, Mediation Advantage Servicescan help you. Law Office of Polly Tatum is experienced in divorce mediation and can help you and your spouse divorce efficiently and economically while protecting your rights. Based in historic Worcester with a satellite office in Northboro, MA, our firm serves all cities and towns throughout Massachusetts and Worcester County including, Auburn, Paxton, Leicester, Sutton, Grafton, Shrewsbury, Westboro, Northboro, Southboro, Holden, Sterling, Princeton, Worcester, Charlton, Millbury, Dudley, Spencer, Brookfield, Sudbury, Natick, Framingham, Hopkinton, Milford, Blackstone, Leominster, Fitchburg, Acton, Jefferson, Barre, Oakham, Cambridge, Newton, Marlboro, Lancaster, Bolton, and Hudson. Call our office at (508) 466-4679, fill out our online form, or email us at info@mediationadvantage.com today to schedule your Complimentary Mediation Success Planning Session. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter or download our free e-book for more information regarding divorce in Massachusetts.