Should I hire an attorney? Can I afford one?

At the risk of sounding cliché, the question should be can you afford not to hire an attorney.  If you have children, require child support, spousal maintenance, or own a home or other joint assets, trying to successfully complete a do-it-yourself divorce without benefit of some legal counsel can be risky.  Many couples who divorce without a lawyer eventually end up having to hire an attorney to renegotiate improperly structured separation agreements, parenting plans, or maintenance arrangements.  The financial decisions you make today will impact you and your children for years to come.

Even if you are sure you will choose or have to ultimately try and go it alone, you should definitely consider talking to an attorney before making such an important decision.  An experienced family law attorney will explain to you what you should expect and the considerations you should think about for your unique situation.  Hiring a good family law attorney will, without a doubt, make the process of going through a divorce much less stressful and will often end up actually saving you money in the long run .