Before filing for divorce, it’s crucial to consider three key aspects: budgeting for the expenses, choosing the right legal team, and updating your beneficiary forms.
These steps are essential in navigating the complexities of divorce and safeguarding your future interests, ensuring a smoother transition during this challenging phase of life.
Budget for divorce expenses.
Do your homework regarding the range of expenses involved in your divorce. If your divorce is uncontested, then it`s relatively inexpensive, but a contested one could range anywhere from $3,000 to 14,000, depending on complexity of issues involved and what stage issues are resolved at.
With hourly rates for divorce lawyers ranging anywhere from $350 to $650 per hour, it would be wise to lock into a package where set fix fees are set in place to certain stages of your divorce proceedings (for certainty of charges).
If your divorce is likely to be amicable, you can look into using a trained mediator/lawyer, which is much less expensive than parties hiring their own set of lawyers.
Read more:
The 5 Divorce models in Singapore
Mediating Your Divorce
Contested v Uncontested Divorce
Put together the right team.
When looking for the right divorce team, finding a lawyer specialising in matrimonial proceedings is crucial. It’s best to avoid “jack of all trades” lawyers or solo practitioners with limited resources and office staff. Instead, look for a law firm with a large pool of dedicated matrimonial lawyers and office support staff.
If settling matters amicably is an option, then it is recommended that your divorce lawyer be trained and proficient in both Mediation and Collaborative divorce process.
The lawyer should also have extensive knowledge of issues such as division of assets, spousal & child maintenance (if applicable), and custody arrangements for any children involved.
When choosing a divorce lawyer, it is essential to ask questions concerning their experience, whether they have dealt with similar cases to yours and associated costs in hiring them for your case.
You should feel comfortable while discussing your situation with your lawyer, so take some time to get to know them before deciding whether you want them to represent you in your divorce proceedings.
Taking the time upfront to properly evaluate these details can save you from future headaches down the road!
Read more:
Collaborative Divorce in Singapore
Family and Divorce Mediation
Update your beneficiary forms
Importantly, you should review the beneficiaries/nominees for any life insurance policies, retirement accounts, wills and bank accounts as the beneficiary listed will receive these payouts in your demise.
Even if you get remarried and you change your will, for certain policies, if the beneficiary listed is still your ex, your ex is getting that money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you need the most experienced divorce lawyer for your case depends on a few factors. First, the complexity of your divorce and the issues that arise will likely dictate the level of experience you need from your divorce lawyer.
If there are few assets to divide and no child custody issues, a divorce attorney with less experience may be able to handle the process.
However, if your divorce is contested and involves complex financial matters, you will require a divorce attorney with more experience to ensure that your interests are adequately represented.
A family law firm that handles a wide variety of divorce cases and has extensive courtroom experience can provide invaluable assistance to clients.
Having a large team of divorce lawyers at their disposal provides additional benefits, such as responding quickly to questions, accessing more resources, and discussing complex issues with other team members.
Family law firms with a large team of divorce lawyers also have access to broader legal experience. As a result, they can formulate more comprehensive divorce strategies and present their clients with multiple options regarding divorce proceedings.
Another advantage of having a family law firm with a large team of divorce lawyers is that they can provide clients with additional insight and perspective into divorce matters.
Divorce lawyers with experience handling multiple divorce cases can offer unique insight into the divorce process and help you make better decisions.
In divorce cases, it is common for senior lawyers to use associate lawyers to provide the best cost-effective representation and advice possible. In doing so, clients will be able to save money.
Often, senior divorce lawyers have associates who specialise in various aspects of divorce law, so they can handle some aspects of the case while leaving the more complex matters to the senior divorce lawyer.
By utilising a senior and an associate divorce lawyer’s services, clients can save money on divorce fees.
Read more:
Matrimonial Assets before Marriage
Division of Matrimonial Assets in Singapore
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