3 Reasons You Need a Family Law Solicitor During a Divorce
In many areas, couples can go through a type of "do it yourself" divorce proceeding, without a solicitor. They may draw up their own agreement about property, support, and custody of the children, and then simply file the paperwork. While it can be tempting to do this in order to save on the fees you will incur with a solicitor, it can actually be more costly in the long run. You might even be surprised to find out that your agreement is not what you thought when you drafted it. Note a few reasons why you need a family law solicitor when going through a divorce.
1. Protecting future income and assets
When you write up a divorce decree yourself, you may take into account your current financial situation and nothing else. However, a spouse may be entitled to a portion of another's future income and assets, including their retirement benefits, profit from the sale of certain assets, and so on. In order to protect those future incomes and any assets you might sell off after your divorce, you should speak to a family law solicitor, such as Alison & Associates, so he or she can ensure that this issue is addressed in your divorce settlement. This will include wording that makes your final divorce agreement actually final.
2. Mistakes are commonplace
Overlooking certain aspects of a divorce or making outright mistakes in how you word your agreement are both commonplace during a divorce. This is often due to a couple not understanding all the facets of their life they should cover in that agreement, such as which spouse is responsible for current credit card debt or how they will split medical expenses for children that are not covered by insurance. It may also be due to the stress of a divorce, as they are simply not thinking clearly about such mundane matters. Hiring a family law solicitor can ensure that the wording of your decree is accurate so that there are no misunderstandings and that you don't make any mistakes or overlook anything.
3. Paperwork is complicated
The paperwork that is filed with a court system is complicated, and that includes divorce agreements. It needs to be worded in such a way that the courts actually accepts it and records it as a legal document, and some paperwork may require witnesses, the signature of a notary, and so on. A family law solicitor will ensure your paperwork is composed accurately and filed properly so there are no delays or other complications with your divorce.