Divorce is a costly process. In reality, there is practically no such thing as a low-cost divorce. Whether you pay or get alimony, it is reasonable to assume that most spouses who split a marriage will quickly feel as if they have suffered a financial hit. Even if the divorce is amicable, dividing assets is a messy business. It is hard to estimate the expense of a divorce. It is similar to a wedding, where you may spend tens of thousands of dollars or go to the courthouse and have a few people around for burgers and hot dogs in the garden for a celebration. What is vital is that you and your spouse try to get along and that you receive cost estimates before hiring a Houston divorce attorney or a mediator.
- In certain relationships, if one spouse is controlling and plainly just looking out for his or her own interests, you may need to engage an attorney, or at the very least a mediator, and prepare for battle. But, before you get there, try to talk about how you want your post-marriage life to look and see whether you and your spouse are on the same page.
- If you and your spouse really like one other but don’t love each other in the manner that two partners should, you may be able to sort things out mainly on your own. You should still have an Houston divorce attorney review your divorce documents to ensure that you haven’t inadvertently done anything you didn’t mean. You should have a few subjects in mind to address with your soon to be ex spouse.
- Property, ask how do you divide it? That is, your bank accounts, retirement savings, and your home. Then, child support and alimony is where things can quickly deteriorate. If there are children, when will they be with Mom and when will they be with Dad? The phrase “custody” is highly charged and frequently provokes defensive responses. Try to discuss it in terms of a timetable so that everyone understands who is with whom and when.
- And what if you can’t work it out? You might employ a mediator to assist you and your husband in reaching a divorce settlement. A session will still cost you at least a couple hundred bucks, if not more. However, every mediator will say that they are less expensive than hiring an attorney.