What is an uncontested divorce?

An uncontested divorce in Texas is a no-fault divorce and allows a lower conflict way of getting divorced for you and your spouse.

Is an uncontested divorce right for you?

Thousands of people yearly seek a cost-effective way to have a divorce. Some get so frustrated that they begin to wonder if there really is a Cheap Divorce in Texas option. Well, the answer is: there can be.

Whether your issues are simple or complex, a Texas no-fault divorce can be achieved so long as both parties are cooperative, reasonable, and willing to communicate effectively.

A Texas no-fault divorce can be successfully achieved once the divorcing couple has agreed upon all of their outstanding issues, including:

• child custody
• child support
• Alimony
• Property division, including the marital home, cars, and all bank and retirement accounts, business interest distribution, etc.

Child Custody When You’re Getting Along

If child custody is an issue, speak with your spouse about your children’s living arrangements and schedules for parenting time. Don’t forget to consider work commitments, as well as activity and school obligations for the children.

Consider talking to one another about viable ways to divide up transportation responsibilities, and how best to address the children’s future health and educational needs. You can even create a shared calendar and live with it for a month to see if it is truly workable for your family. Just remember to leave room for flexibility, and understand that schedules will evolve over time as the children’s needs change.

Divide Your Community Property Evenly

Once the child visitation and custody issues are addressed, you can focus on the financial aspects of your uncontested divorce. Information and supporting documents are important at this stage, as the income for both parties must be properly assessed via tax returns, W2 forms, and paystubs.

During your divorce, assets and liabilities will need to be determined as well, so you will need proof of their balances and values. If you and your spouse are in agreement about these values, it is more likely that you will be able to reach a fair and reasonable settlement.

Cover All Your Financial Bases

Once you begin to analyze your finances as a couple or family, you may find there are more moving parts than you expected. Keep track of these disparate financial issues carefully, including:

• Mortgages and home equity loans
• Retirement accounts, such as 401k plans and IRAs
• Pensions and profit sharing plans
• Bank accounts (savings, checking and money market accounts)
• Stocks and bonds
• Vehicles, including loans and leases
• Household contents
• Business interests
• Collectibles
• Credit card debt
• Student loans

A joint marital monthly expense budget should be determined in light of all assets and liabilities as well so that support obligations can be properly calculated.

Honesty Counts

Once you have itemized all income, assets, liabilities, and your budget, be candid about your wish list. If you are clear about what items are meaningful to you and what items may be less important, it will be easier to create a settlement agreement that satisfies both parties in your Texas divorce case.