The Divorce Store
While on vacation in Phoenix last week, we drove through a business district. I noticed a storefront sign that read “The Divorce Store.” I did a double take. Did I really just see a sign advertising a store that sells divorces? What? Really? How does that work?
So I did some research. And sure enough, the store specializes in tools to help couples get divorced. They advertise “Quick, easy, affordable divorces since 1993”. They are Legal Document Preparers handling Arizona divorces, annulment, legal separation, child support, spousal support, paternity, guardianship, wills and trusts and other matters. There are also Legal Document Preparers in Illinois that can help you prepare and file within one day.
Quick: So, what’s the rush? Research shows that 80% of couples who divorce do so because of a gradual growing apart. It doesn’t happen overnight. But I have to admit that there are good reasons to seek immediate legal recourse. For example, if you have a spouse who has disappeared or is refusing to pay any child support; if you are being denied access to your children; if your spouse is threatening to move away (long-distance) with the children; if there is reason to believe your spouse is going to take or squander your joint assets (e.g., bank accounts, stocks, bonds, personal property); if you and your spouse can’t agree who will pay the household bills or joint debt during your separation, and this is something that needs to be decided immediately (e.g., so that your home doesn’t go into foreclosure or your credit doesn’t get ruined). If there is any spousal abuse or child abuse, hire an attorney to file for emergency protective orders. Cases of abuse can rarely be resolved by the couple on their own.
Easy: Although divorces are sad events, I have seen couples collaborate on a mutually agreeable settlement and file themselves, or use a divorce mediator. Couples who can be civil and fair are best able to navigate through a divorce in a timely manner with the least amount of emotional pain.
Affordable: An ugly legal battle will cost you time and money and will harm your (and your children’s) emotional health and financial stability. I knew one couple who filed for a divorce together using online tools. They paid $250 for the entire process. I was surprised because they owned a home and had one child. To their credit, they maintained a good working relationship as parents to their child.
No one wants a divorce, but sometimes it is the best solution. If you have been unable to work out your differences with a counselor, be kind as you end your marriage.