Weddings are a time of love, happiness, and beginning a new life together. According to Wedding Market Research, there were 154,988 weddings in Texas in 2021. So take a moment to look back on your wedding day. You may have been full of hope and promise for the future. However, deciding to get a divorce was not something you expected to go through. Divorce is an emotional process; understandably, you want to get it over with as quickly as possible. But there are many reasons why you should not file for an online divorce.
Reasons to Not File for an Online Divorce
You can find or do just about anything online, but filing for a Texas divorce should not be one of them. Recent years have seen the onset of online divorce (sometimes called no-court divorce), which is not necessarily a good thing. The two most significant advertising points of online divorces are cheap and quick, which should raise red flags for you.
But if that’s not enough, here are more reasons not to file for an online Texas divorce.
– No Legal Help
Many situations pop up during a divorce. Unfortunately, there isn’t any one form you should be able to fill out that would encompass your unique situation. You will likely have many questions during your divorce, and with an online service, there isn’t a Texas divorce attorney who can legally help you.
Some questions that you should be able to have a divorce attorney in Texas answer are:
- Am I entitled to alimony? And if so, how much?
- What should I agree to when it comes to Child Support and Custody?
- Since Texas is a community property state, what assets am I entitled to take?
- What happens now that my spouse took money out of the bank accounts?
- Will I still have access to their retirement? Do I have to give them some of mine?
- Will I still be named on their life insurance? Will my children?
- What can I do if my ex doesn’t follow the terms of our divorce?
These are not questions that should be answered by the average Joe who thinks that they spend enough time online that they can legally help you. Each state has different laws concerning divorce, and only an experienced Texas family law attorney can help you truly understand the answers to your questions.
– Watch Out for Scammers
The adage of ‘if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t‘ holds true with online services. When anything becomes popular online, scammers will jump on it, including online divorces. If you do an online search, you will find a company that offers a quick and cheap online divorce. Imagine handing over hundreds of dollars to someone only to find that the divorce forms are not legally accepted in your state. It can be difficult and time-consuming to claim fraud and receive compensation back against this company.
Meanwhile, you are no closer to a divorce than when you started.
Reviews and testimonies are often fake, and you should not decide to work with an online company based solely on what they tell you. When you work with a local family law attorney, you know if they have been in this practice for years. And you know where to find them if you have any questions or concerns.
– Divorces are Legally Binding
Let’s say that you did have a Texas online divorce happen successfully. What happens if you realize within a year (or ten years) that the divorce terms are significantly skewed in your ex’s favor? Once you sign the divorce papers, the terms are legally binding unless you hire an attorney and fight to have them changed.
You cannot simply explain to the state of Texas that you didn’t realize what the papers meant and want to change the terms of your divorce. It doesn’t work that way. When an experienced family law attorney handles your divorce, they will help you with any modifications or enforcements needed in the future.
The attorney will explain all the terms of the divorce and the long-term results of each.
You Need an Experienced Texas Divorce Attorney on Your Side
Even if the split is mutual, you need someone with experience in divorce to explain each situation. You must understand the long-term effects of your decisions during the divorce process and choose what is best for you and your children.
