You and your spouse are getting a divorce. But rather than fight over everything, you sit down and try to create a DIY divorce agreement. Just the two of you — no lawyers reviewing your work or doing it for you, and no mediators walking you through the process. While that is a tall order, especially since there is so much to consider, you feel you’ve covered everything when it comes to splitting assets and debts fairly, cobbling together anticipated budgets, child custody terms, and co-parenting plans, and determining possible spousal maintenance.
Next thing you know, you have a DIY divorce agreement you both feel comfortable signing. Congratulations — you worked together to resolve some pretty sizable divorce issues. You should be commended for doing something most divorcing couples might not consider.
That said, we always discourage families from completing DIY Orders or forms they found online. Instead, we recommend having a family law attorney draft the final agreement to finalize your divorce.
4 Reasons You Still Need a Family Law Attorney To Draft Your Final Decree of Divorce
- It’s important to know your legal rights — While you both feel comfortable with your DIY agreement, a family law attorney’s job is to ensure you’re still looking out for yourself, give you direction and focus, and help you understand your legal rights. For example, they could notice that while you added certain provisions into the original document with the best intentions, you might be getting the short end of the stick in one or several areas. And even if everything appears to be on the up and up with your individual affairs, there could be hidden flaws in how you’re handing your children’s best interests.
- A deeper dive into assets and debts — Another big reason why you still need a family law attorney to draft your agreement is to catch potentially omitted assets and debts and ensure they are included. You may have thought you poured into every tax return, investment, bank statement, loan document, etc. Items such as frequent flyer miles, equity you may have in the home, business interests, collectibles, precious family heirlooms, and more can be overlooked and become a point of contention.
- The need for additional terms — No two divorces are the same. You also don’t know what you don’t know. That’s the inherent problem with choosing to use a DIY divorce agreement … it might not account for every possible divorce issue and could lead to post-divorce litigation if you’re not careful. This could include disputes over how future expenses for the children might be handled or what happens if a family business venture is dissolved in the future.
- Prevent “buyer’s remorse” — There is something to be said for knowing that an extra set of eyes with intimate knowledge of the legal system and divorce poured over your agreement. The last thing you want is to sign what you think is a fair and equitable document only to find out later down the line that it isn’t… despite your best intentions.
Please call Christman | Daniell Attorneys for your legal needs today!
Looking for family law services in Collin County, Texas? Christman | Daniell is your premier choice. With years of experience and a deep understanding of the legal landscape, our skilled team is dedicated to helping families navigate complex legal matters. Whether it’s divorce, child custody, or adoption, trust Christman | Daniell to provide compassionate and effective representation for all your family law needs throughout Collin County.
Please consult an attorney for advice about your individual situation. The material on this website and in this or any blog article we publish are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. The attorneys at Christman | Daniell Attorneys believe in tailoring legal advice and solutions to your own personal circumstances.
We have an unwavering commitment to helping our clients at each stage of their legal situation.
