Traverse City Attorney
| Divorce Attorney | John Ferguson PLC
Traverse City Attorney | Divorce
Divorce without an Attorney = Risky Business
I just want to be divorced, why do I need an attorney?
If you are motivated
to just “get it done” you need an attorney to assist you more than anyone else.
People who are focused on going through the process quickly are more likely to
overlook critical details and then weeks, months, or years down the road are
may deeply regret their decisions. A trusted attorney can help identify your
marital estate and discuss the possibilities of distributing the assets while
using their extensive experience to complete the process as quickly as possible.
We agree on everything, won’t an attorney just complicate
things?
If both parties are in
agreement, you can still retain an attorney as an individual to approach the
divorce in a collaborative manner. Just as you would not draft the documents to
purchase your home on your own, you shouldn’t attempt to create a marriage settlement
agreement yourself or attempt to use a generic document. Moreover, just
splitting up assets without a concise, legally binding agreement memorializing
both parties understanding of who retains what assets and who is responsible
for payment of what debts is dangerous. People frequently change their minds
with time and a poorly drafted agreement may not hold up in court.
Finally, if you have
minor children you will need to determine a parenting agreement that will be
appropriate until they reach the age of 18 or the court will decide for you. As you can imagine creating a parenting
arrangement that will stand the test of time requires understanding the
potential challenges that could appear down the road. This can be very difficult for someone that
doesn’t solve these types of challenges on a regular basis like an experienced Traverse City attorney. There are also
significant benefits to getting the custody
and parenting time agreement correct the first time as it will avoid countless
arguments, visits to the friend of the court and potentially time in the courtroom
later.
I don’t have the money to hire a Traverse City attorney, now
what?
Many people think that
attorneys are not affordable. What people do not know is that with the help of
an attorney, a lower wage-earning spouse is eligible to obtain support to help
with legal fees and expenses. When an agreement has been reached attorneys can
also save individuals an immense amount of money in property division
settlements and other payments that they would have lost otherwise.
Going through a divorce
is never easy on anyone and trying to do it without legal counsel will only
make matters more difficult. What will happen to the kids, marital residence,
or the retirement accounts? Traverse
City attorney John Ferguson PLC can help. Call (231)
590-2990 today to schedule a complimentary consultation at our Elk Rapids or
Traverse City law firm locations.
