The decision to get a divorce is stressful; the process is often even more so. Part of the stress of a Washington State divorce is created when you both have lawyers who are engaged in a battle-to-the-death (or so it seems) to grab as much property as they can get for their own client—at exorbitant hourly rates. Perhaps an even greater cause for divorce-related stress is your finances. The lawyer bills are high and your joint assets are limited. You wonder if there will be anything left when all is said and done. How will you start over on your own if everything you’ve accumulated in your marriage ends up going to the lawyers?
A Better Way—if You Qualify: the Washington State Online Divorce Option
Well, we’re here to tell you there may be a better way to get a Washington State divorce: doing it via the Internet. You can save a significant amount of money by choosing to complete the documents for your Washington divorce or legal separation, online, using a fully licensed Washington family law attorney to complete your paperwork. It’s relatively quick and easy, and those dollars remain in your pockets where they are available to help you both get a fresh start. But you must meet some qualifying criteria.
Online Divorce is Not for Everyone
Well, we’re here to tell you there may be a better way to get a Washington State divorce: doing it via the Internet. You can save a significant amount of money by choosing to complete the documents for your Washington divorce or legal separation, online, using a fully licensed Washington family law attorney to complete your paperwork. It’s relatively quick and easy, and those dollars remain in your pockets where they are available to help you both get a fresh start. But you must meet some qualifying criteria.
Online Divorce is Not for Everyone
Not every couple is a candidate for a Washington online divorce. First of all, Washington divorce laws require that at least one of you is now living in the state. Unlike Nevada, Washington does not aspire to becoming a divorce mecca, so if you both live in another state, it won’t be an option for you.
Furthermore, your divorce needs to be uncontested. You and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse are going to need to agree on several important things: the division of marital property, the division of responsibility for repayment of your joint debt, custody, visitation rights, and child support payments if you have kids. If one of you will be receiving alimony, you will both need to agree on the amount and duration of payments.
Take a Rational Approach
If you can’t overcome the antagonism that led you to the decision to divorce, you may not be able to meet this second qualification. You need to set aside any anger you have toward your spouse and let rationality prevail. This is no time to be greedy or committed to getting revenge. Set those negative feelings on the back burner and look at the big picture. The less your divorce costs, the more money you’ll have left to start over.
So let’s say you meet these basic qualifications for a Washington divorce online. You’ll need to answer some brief qualifying questions, and then you can move to the second step: the questionnaire. Here you’ll answer some more detailed and specific questions that will let your online lawyer know what terms you have agreed to. Your lawyer will use this information to fully and accurately prepare your Washington State divorce documents and will send them back to you with instructions for signing and filing them.
If you can’t overcome the antagonism that led you to the decision to divorce, you may not be able to meet this second qualification. You need to set aside any anger you have toward your spouse and let rationality prevail. This is no time to be greedy or committed to getting revenge. Set those negative feelings on the back burner and look at the big picture. The less your divorce costs, the more money you’ll have left to start over.
So let’s say you meet these basic qualifications for a Washington divorce online. You’ll need to answer some brief qualifying questions, and then you can move to the second step: the questionnaire. Here you’ll answer some more detailed and specific questions that will let your online lawyer know what terms you have agreed to. Your lawyer will use this information to fully and accurately prepare your Washington State divorce documents and will send them back to you with instructions for signing and filing them.
Completing the Washington Divorce Process
You will deliver the papers to the clerk of the court; a judge will review your documents, and will then issue your divorce decree. You won’t have to worry that the judge will throw your case out because of improperly prepared documents, as often happens when couples try to do them alone. Voila! You’re divorced, and your assets are divided but intact.
You’re now free to start your new lives.
You will deliver the papers to the clerk of the court; a judge will review your documents, and will then issue your divorce decree. You won’t have to worry that the judge will throw your case out because of improperly prepared documents, as often happens when couples try to do them alone. Voila! You’re divorced, and your assets are divided but intact.
You’re now free to start your new lives.
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