You suddenly find yourself getting divorced. On top of the emotional struggle, you’re facing some serious financial concerns. You’re not sure if you need to hire an attorney – and a friend mentions hiring a document preparation service. It’s less expensive and maybe less intimidating than going into a lawyer’s office to talk about your marriage falling apart. That’s a win-win, right?
No! A document preparer cannot offer you legal advice. They can’t comb through your case searching for legal issues. A document preparer won’t stand beside you in court or attend mediation with you. They have no legal training and no regulating body to make sure that they do their work correctly and in a professional manner.
This situation can be made so much worse if your soon-to-be-former-spouse hires a lawyer. Now you’re going against a trained legal professional – perhaps with years of trials and experience – with just the paperwork that a stranger prepared. That decision to save a little money could end up costing you for years to come.
Make sure that you at least consult with a lawyer before you make important decisions that will change the course of your life. Call Dunham and Ingram today to get advice and help – so much more than paperwork – during one of life’s toughest times.