The process of divorce does not always have to start with a call to a divorce attorney. Lost amidst the shuffle of Kardashian, Woods, Bryant and other celebrity divorce sagas lies the fact that American’s have affordable, non-traditional facets and options towards the goal of severing matrimonial ties via an online divorce kit. MyDivorceDocuments.com offers every legal form needed, as well as an easy to follow step by step guide, aimed at helping average people file their own divorce cases, without unnecessary expenses. The popular website will soon reach the 275,000th hit milestone as consumers and savvy, financially astute adults turn away from traditional divorce pathways towards a more amicable driven pathway.

“Based on my own personal experiences with the traditional divorce process, what can best be described in short as a nightmare, I realized there had to be a better, more user friendly way to work through the divorce process,” said MyDivorceDocuments.com creator and owner Jason McClain.

A recent study examining divorce statistics showed that the year 2010 saw the number of divorces filed in the United States reaching well over the 250,000 mark; clearly suggesting that a divorce process that puts the power to file for divorce in average people’s hands is desperately needed. For those couples looking for an easy, tangible approach towards reaching an uncontested amicable divorce settlement MyDivorceDocuments.com and their unique line of online divorce forms is an optimal solution. Why enter into a process that invariably leads to resentment and bitterness and results in the loss of assets that both parties will split and divide at the end of the transaction?

“Divorce does not always have to be a courtroom battle royale that ultimately benefits Divorce lawyers at the expense of common sense and the assets accumulated over the term of the marriage,” said McClain.

MyDivorceDocuments.com has been the premier leading source for downloadable divorce forms since it’s inception in 2001 and expects to see continued growth through 2012. With its user friendly platform and access to divorce forms for all 50 states, MyDivorceDocuments.com downloadable divorce forms are legally binding, being both attorney authored and approved. The Reasoning is clear; adult couples realize that a no fault amicable divorce is the best pathway towards the dissolution of the bonds of matrimony.

“We live in an era where we do our banking online, pay our bills online, attend business meetings online and with the growth of online dating websites; a website making the divorce process easy and affordable is simply natural progression,” said McClain.

One of the many divorce related questions we get asked about frequently at MyDivorceDocuments.com is “What is the difference between legal custody and physical custody?” With that in mind we decided to use today’s blog item to go over the differences between the two and how it relates to divorce. In Part1 we will solely discuss and go over the aspects for the physical custody portion of a non fault uncontested do it yourself divorce.

Physical custody section is made up of several activities and events all having do with the actual time lines in which each parent takes and acts as sole guardian of their children at a prearranged, predetermined date as agreed upon by the spouses. With physical custody, in an ideal world, the parents sit down with a calendar and basically determine what holidays and weekend are best suited for each spouses schedule and lifestyle and who and when each specific parent gets to supervise the child and actually has physical custody acting as sole guardian. As part of a do it yourself divorce; think of it as the process of deciding who has officially been proclaimed parental guardian over each day, weekend, holiday, etc etc. Color coded markers and a 12 month calendar in tow; if both parties agree on the divorce process the heavy lifting may be easier then you think.

In terms of DIY divorce the key factors in determining this portion of the divorce process between each parent is that they both have identical goals and each parents custodial calendar synchronizes with the other regarding the calendar agreement towards physical custody. If the parents can not agree on this aspect of custody-the court will step in and decide on their behalf. In terms of an uncontested no fault divorce and online divorce forms- this factor is critical. Want to avoid lawyers and courtrooms? Best to be prepared for some give and take between spouses as this could possible be the deal breaker.

Other items regarding physical custody can be trivial in terms of diy online divorce forms do it yourself divorce having to do with transferring the children during visitation exchanges as well as transportation and how to handle any unexpected changes to the aforementioned visitation agreement. All of the factors should be covered as in terms of legality they are important to the divorce process.

Once again, and we cannot stress this point enough, being cooperative in this phase of the custody portion of divorce is key to making a no fault divorce a tangible reality not to mention the psychological benefits to your children. Working out these details in a day to day mutually agreeable fashion will be the optimal goal for all parties involved making the process of divorce amicable and streamlined.

In some cases the finalization of a divorce can mean joyous celebration for men in that they can enjoy new found freedom and try to move forward from a bad relationship. For some men it allows them to close a chapter they would probably consider a horrible mistake. For others there may be feelings of failure, disappointment, and maybe some potential heart ache. If you are the former as opposed to the latter; read on as here are some helpful divorce tips courtesy of MyDivorceDocuments.com.

Admit to yourself the relationship is over and and accept the reality of the situation. No one likes an unhappy ending but at some point the best way to move forward is to simply look in the mirror and accept it for what it is. This is not revolutionary divorce information by any means that some men face difficulty in moving on and have the continuing notion to fight or lament the relationship with the old would have, should have. Look in the mirror, admit its over, and chalk it up to experience.

Let the feeling flow. You are bound to have a bevy of mixed emotions and corking them up and suppressing your feeling could result in an emotional outburst at a later, more inconvenient date. And while you have already decided to get an Online Divorce Kit the facts are while men are certainly better at expressing emotion and working out feelings today then in years past there is an innate, almost instinctual ability for men to be strong and stoic. And sure most men don’t have that best friend that will come over with a DVD of Sleepless in Seattle and work it out over a cup of hot cocoa-but that doesn’t mean opening up to someone is a bad idea.

If you are a father with children take the focus away from your ex or soon to be ex and place it on your children. Your children are still the #1 goal for any parent no matter what the circumstances may be. This leads to 2 golden rules all men should follow and something you wont find on any Online Divorce Form. Do not take out any repressed anger over the divorce on your children and by that same token never speak bad about or talk negative about your ex to your children. You and your spouse were at one point a team in caring for and properly raising your children and divorce doesn’t necessarily mean that team has come to an end; it simply means the circumstances have changed. Reinforce the notion early and often that divorce is not the fault of the children and that both parents still fully love and support the children.

On that same note it is important then your children be able to move forward and recognize that both parents roles will be changing to some extent.   Working together with your ex and drawing up a logical, sensible game plan moving forward based on respect and amicability should be of utmost importance. While we are proud to provide online divorce documents we also realize the likelihood of you and your ex being best friends forever is semi-absurd; showing and behaving with an air of mutual respect will go a long way. If your ex doesn’t work in a cooperative manner or lacks the ability to do what is best for the children; Take the high road. Someone will have to take the responsibility of being the anchor and the sail and if it isn’t going to be your ex it is your responsibility like it or not. Take the bull by the horns and be the hero and the role model that your children need.

We stumbled across an interesting story with some very good divorce information the other day that explored some recent studies that revealed some surprising and maybe some not so surprising revelations regarding divorce.

There is an old saying that “love moves out when poverty moves in.” Thus the first item on the list may not be surprising at all as it found that a link between unemployment and an increased risk of divorce. The study done by Ohio State University suggested that unemployment by men increases risk of divorce while the employment status for women had relatively little effect. In this case we hope they at least have internet access to access our do it yourself online divorce kit. Interestingly enough the curve ball to this story is that unemployment not only increases the rate of divorce started by the wife, but also showed that the husband is also more likely to suggest divorce when unemployed.

While the comedic side would put this as “the redneck vs the city slicker,” the New York Times did an analysis of census data that showed that the divorce rate between the rural population is now roughly the same rate as that of urban population. We pat ourselves on the back for this development as online divorce kits make starting the divorce process far easier then ever.  Back in the early 80s there was a pronounced split with the rates of divorce in urban areas and contrasting rural areas. But over the past 30 years; this divide has all but disappeared. Yes flyover America- your chances of divorce are now are just as likely as those in the big city.

Hate the commute to work each weekday? Well you should for more reasons then other time lost and the soaring cost of gasoline;  A study by Umea University out of Sweden produced some divorce information that revealed long commute times linked to increased chance of divorce. As a matter of it showed that commutes longer than 45 minutes has a pronounced effect on the increased risk of divorce. Of 2 million Swedish households, the study showed that married couples who had a long commute experienced a 40 percent higher risk of divorce.

Do you root, root, root for the Home Team? A study done in Egypt concluded that sports fans may in some cases have increased rates of divorce.  The study examined divorce amongst soccer fans and came to the conclusion that those with a high interest in soccer had a pronounced relationship with a higher divorce risk. From the not so surprising part of the study with preface that our online divorce kit never got a yellow card; it found that those experiencing the highest propensity towards divorce was men who followed soccer daily partnered with a spouse who does not like soccer. While they attempted to make a correlation between soccer and the NFL; results were inconclusive as football is clearly more exciting then soccer.

And finally riding the coattails of the paragraph printed above is a survey that shows a link between video games and divorce. The survey by a well known divorce website found that an ever increasing number of women are reporting that video games as a main factor for their relationship status. The study claimed that the percentage of people attributing marital woes and filing for divorce due to video games usage rise from 5% to 15% over the past year. While some may claim the lack of attention to the spouse in favor of video games as a factor-we like to believe that recent video games are far more entertaining then in years past. But we are only speculating as we never play video games nor watch sports for that matter.

Back in the day, the idea of divorcing your spouse was a challenge and invariably lead to rumors or innuendos that one spouse must have committed some grounds of divorce as as unspeakable, unsavory or sordid act like committing adultery, spousal abuse or emotional abuse and utilize these as leverage on the assumption they would serve as ammo or the necessary needed proof that your spouse had acted improperly and thus be granted a divorce. Think about that-two adults who wished to make the split almost being forced to attack the other simply to earn the right of being freed of matrimony.

Fortunately, those days are behind us divorcing your spouse is much easier. Most couples can simply divorce sans courthouse using the downloadable divorce kit without the stigma and horror of having you and your family forced to ride the roller coaster of divorce court and the possibility of children having to listen to mom and dads lawyers making each of their parents out to be horrible people. With the theatrics and working knowledge of the courts and the divorce process some lawyers are very adept at stretching a court case out far longer then it other wise would need to be.

If there are children involved-avoiding the courtroom altogether is the best decision possible as it considers the feelings of children and avoids the high probability of humiliation and trauma of sitting and listening hearing about mom or dads worse personal traits paraded through the court.
All states nowadays allow for “no fault”, “no contest”, or uncontested divorce which essentially means that both spouses can agree on the terms of a divorce and amicably work out their own settlement. Considered in this process is the sorting out of assets and loans, cars and houses, child custody, alimony etc etc.

With the notion of a long term courtship or knowing your soul mate after 10 minutes becoming far less frequent- we have seen a distinct rise in couples who are either getting married far too young or simply getting married after a very short time after meeting. As much as we smirk and snicker at the idea of a downloadable divorce kit; A “no contest’” divorce also has the benefit in that a couple can simply decide to split without having to give a reason.

And without question in almost all instances an uncontested divorce kit will surely avoid attorneys, lawyers, and court rooms which also equates to a “no contest” divorce being far more cost effective. Basically seeing both spouses work out the details by themselves to the benefit off all parties involved in an adult, rational decision.

Of all the emotions that can be rendered from the divorce process, Anger is truly the single most dangerous emotion that rears its ugly head when divorce is involved. Making matters all the more troubling is that when the process is over and considered a closing chapter in your life it is not uncommon that these two emotions though will last a great deal above and beyond what should have been the initial benchmark for closure.

Anger and resentment are natural responses to being emotionally damaged and are all too uncommon feelings that are experience and held onto during the divorce process. It is perfectly normal to feel some or all of these things when you have been hurt. These feelings may seem impossible to let go of, especially if issues of child custody and child support are concerned, but for a platitude of explanations but hanging on to them and letting those feeling linger and fester will only have an end result of long lasting negative effects on your mental and physical well-being and without question compromising your ability to start working towards rebuilding your life. The attitude of rebirth and a second chance to start with a better, more fulfilling life should never take a back seat to residual negativity.

Anger, resentment, guilt, and other negative emotions can slowly eat away away at the stability of your life in the following ways;
Anger is an energy that is draining and sadly the process of divorce and divorce laws can set up an overwhelmingly negative situation. That energy of anger robs you and depletes you of your positive power by transfering it to the person you are mad at. How much energy it takes to be mad at your ex? How much time and energy have you spent thinking and lingering over it? Time and Energy both have finite resources and no one has ever benefited by letting negative energy take over the positive and proactive abilities at your disposal.

An instinctive reaction to a grievance is resentment. Stemming and forming from the perception that you have been wronged or somehow being treated unfairly. Resentment can be defined as an inherent binding to bitterness and can be linked to the dangerous road toward outright hatred. These emotions can slowly and surely start to negatively impact the mind, body, and heart not to mention these two negative emotions of resent and anger are unquestionably socially destructive. Have friends stopped returning your calls or emails? It is probably not that they no longer want to be friends as much as it is that spending time with an angry, resentful person is unpleasant. We are not the first to realize that the fastest way to alienate others is to perpetuate yourself as one who cannot let go of the emotional baggage of anger and resentment. When someone who used to be known as “the fun friend” is now known as “the angry friend” you can expect luncheon invitations will start to decline. And while an online divorce kit can help start the divorce process we also recognize that factors of post divorce emotional well being.

In essence-do not lot divorce define your life and who you are. No matter how negative and emotionally draining the divorce process may have been letting it define you as a person is the surest way to limit your post divorce possibilities.

Divorce can be ugly and it doesn’t take Freud to unveil the facts. A married couple who at one point had the assumption that as life partners they would grow old together decide to go separate ways, there is resentment, hatred and a fury of mixed emotions which makes “irreconcilable differences” seem far too gentle of phrase. While there have been plenty of articles, blogs, websites, and LifeTime Network movies made for divorced women focused on handling depression and other negative effects of divorce; Hardly any attention gets shined on men’s reactions to divorce. MyDivorceDocuments.com examines the issue.

As of 2008 there was an estimate that close to 40% of marriages ended in divorce. The stats for second marriages are even less impressive. And while we are led to believe that most men are at fault for divorce for not showing enough affection at best and abuse at worst-no one disputes that divorce is hard on everyone. Most men can ponder what will happen in terms of child support and custody laws but once the ruling is made, most men can begrudgingly accepts it.

In general, men are defined by more than just their status in a marriage. A lifelong bachelor with a successful career never gets castigated of question yet an older woman in similar circumstances gets branded a spinster. A man who doesn’t want children isn’t looked at it in the same light as woman. A man can get judged by his job, his car, his hobbies and ironically men are effected more by employment status then marital status. If a man can pay the child support and have more time to golf-he probably isn’t going to think the divorce process a bad decision.

In stark contrast; men do not suffer the depression women do and tend to be far more impacted by employment status. Yet post divorce studies show an amazing statistic in that a woman’s standard of living drops by 73% while the man’s standard of living increases by 42%. It’s going to get a whole lot better soon. Probably a good thing that most men do not know this stat as I am sure many men on the marital fence would probably have visited MyDivorceDocuments.com yesterday. But once again; the pull of providing for spouse and children is a powerful and compelling reason to stay and given that men typically won’t research divorce law or child support laws there tends to be a blind eye cast to the subtle nuance of divorce law.

Lets examine it-a man gets divorced. Now what? He still has his job, friends, business associates and a social support system that he probably lamented not being able to spend more time with. Since Time and Memorium men have been raised to be the Hunters, Breadwinners, builders, police and fireman rolled into one; knowing the ins and outs of Divorce Law take a backseat to the needs of the family.

Studies show that men suffer disproportionate health effects on a far higher scale for employment factors then marital factors while the stats for woman are quite the opposite. The facts are no one looks eagerly towards divorce and very few men endure the divorce process unscathed. It is however time to admit that emotional factors and baggage due to divorce isn’t always solely reserved for women.

What is an Uncontested Divorce?

An Uncontested Divorce is a way majority people get a divorce.  It is very basic and the most inexpensive way to divorce.  It gives you and your spouse a chance to end your marriage quietly and civilly.  An Uncontested Divorce is not right for all divorcing couples.

Advantages of Uncontested Divorce

The advantage of an uncontested divorce is the low cost.  An uncontested divorce that stays uncontested is almost always the most inexpensive way of getting a divorce.  I am sure the first thing that may go through a person’s mind is “can I afford this divorce”?  The simple fact is that any money you can avoid spending on any type of legal fees or mediators, you may be able to use after your divorce or on your children if any.  The low cost is not, however, the only advantage of an uncontested divorce.  If the level of differences between you and your spouse are kept at ease then you will be able to keep your costs low.  The agreements that the two of you will reach in an uncontested divorce and file in the court will be a matter of public record.  Nor do the various proposals you discuss as you negotiate an agreement that’s acceptable to both of you.

Now don’t think you have to agree with each other about the issues of your divorce for an uncontested divorce.  It is not so much a question of agreement as it is your desire to get through your divorce in a civil matter.  If you and your spouse don’t yet agree on all the issues of your divorce that just means you may have some negotiating to do before you finish it.

When an Uncontested Divorce is a Bad Idea

An uncontested divorce is not a good idea when one spouse chooses to belittle or continuously bring up all the faults of the other spouse.  When domestic violence is involved, an uncontested divorce is not a good idea either.  Uncontested divorce is a bad idea when the parties are not able to speak civilly with one another.  If your spouse refuses to have any discussion with you about divorce, and if you’re determined to move forward with the process, any money you spend on an uncontested divorce is likely to be wasted.  If you are patient, you may find that your spouse may come around later, but if you are determined to finish it now and your spouse is not cooperating, you may have no choice but to serve them with the normal divorce process and do it the hard way.

The first thing you need to know about uncontested divorce is that the lawyer you get to do your uncontested divorce cannot represent both of you.  The courts assume that the spouses in a divorce have different interests.  The lawyer must represent one of you and not the other.  Uncontested divorce can happen much faster than most people realize.

An uncontested divorce basically all depends on your specific divorce case. If you and your spouse are able to come to an agreement and work civilly together then an uncontested divorce is perfect for you.  On that note, if you would like to not only save money but time as well you can try a do it yourself divorce.  Simply go to www.mydivorcedocuments.com and look into a specific state down-loadable divorce kit for a low cost and begin your divorce process today!

One of life’s most difficult questions you may run into is if  you should end a marriage or not.  Many people are unsure as to whether they will pursue a divorce or want to understand the process for acquiring one.  Knowledge can be very empowering and may help you think more clearly as to how you wish to handle the issues within your marriage.  This article gives a basic overview of the stages of a divorce case.

In some cases you may not automatically want to file your Divorce Complaint, although there may be reasons you wish to do so.  In this case you may want to try and resolve the issues that are relevant to considering ending your marriage.  If you have come to the final decision of moving forward with a divorce and feel there is no hope left then you need to start your divorce process.  During this time, you will likely exchange whatever information needed to have disclosure on financial issues.  You can even work with mediators or care professionals, if necessary, in order to resolve any conflicts with regard to custody and parenting time of your children.  Once the settlement is reached, it is reduced to writing and executed by the parties and counsel.  At this time, the parties can file the pleadings to obtain a divorce and seek enforcement of the agreement they have reached.

In the event that the circumstances of your case force you to file your divorce pleadings immediately rather than pursue pre-filing settlement options as discussed above, then your case will proceed differently.  The filing of the Divorce Complaint has an important impact.  Generally speaking, it establishes the termination date of your marriage and is the date by which assets of a marriage are identified and valued.  The filing of the Divorce Complaint also triggers many court deadlines for moving your case forward.  For example, your spouse will have thirty-five days to respond to the pleading that you filed.  From there, you and your spouse will prepare financial disclosure forms called Case Information Statements.  These forms will be filed with the court.

You will also begin a process called “discovery” in which you and your spouse will have a certain fixed period of time to respond to formal requests for information. These demands are called “Interrogatories,” which are written questions, to which you must respond, and a “Notice to Produce,” or a demand for documents, to which you will also have to respond by producing the documents requested in the demand.  Depositions may also occur during this discovery period.  Depositions consist of a series of questions that you and your spouse answer under oath. The attorney representing your spouse asks you the questions; your attorney questions your spouse.  Furthermore, if there are contested issues of custody and parenting time and/or if there are assets that need to be valued, such as real estate or a business, those evaluations occur during this time period with the assistance of experts.

Once discovery is completed there are certain initiatives organized by the court to assist you in trying to reach a settlement of your case.  One such initiative is called Early Settlement Panel, where approximately two attorneys volunteer their time to sit as panelists and hear from your counsel the merits of your positions in your divorce.  At the conclusion of that presentation, the panelists will offer a non-binding and confidential assessment of how they would resolve your case based on their experience.  If your case does not settle at Early Settlement Panel, then you are provided the opportunity to go on to Economic Mediation.  During Economic Mediation, attorneys who are qualified mediators volunteer approximately two hours of their time to again hear from you and your counsel and try to help you reach a resolution of your open issues.  With both Early Settlement Panel and Economic Mediation, your spouse and his/her attorney also present their position. At the conclusion of Economic Mediation you report back to the judge assigned to your case to advise the court of the status of your case.  If at the end of Economic Mediation your case is still not settled, then the court will likely schedule an in-court settlement conference and/or a trial date.

The above offers a quick summary of the general process of a divorce.  Subjective circumstances of an individual case can certainly cause a case to evolve in a variety of different directions.  A complicated custody dispute can also make a divorce more involved, although courts do prioritize custody matters and try to expedite those cases, preferably within a six month period of time tolling from the filing date of the Complaint for Divorce.  It is also important to keep in mind that with the assistance of counsel and cooperation from the parties, even complicated matters can be solved expeditiously.  Every divorce varies according to your situation.

If you have read the divorce process and realize that you can have an amicable divorce and come to agreements to resolve this divorce quickly.  Then I encourage you to simply go to www.mydivorcedocuments.com where you can download your specific state low cost forms and kits today.

If you are 100% SURE that you want a divorce, be sure to protect every aspect of your life :

1. Speak to a Marriage Counselor or another certified specialist who may be able to help you save your marriage.

Even if you don’t think there’s hope for the marriage, “divorce counseling” can help you discover what went wrong, how to cope, and how to pick up the pieces and go on.  Don’t wait for your spouse to participate.

2.  Download the Divorce Forms for a Quick Divorce and learn about the Divorce Law first.  If you choose not, be sure to Talk to a divorce attorney before you do anything.

Even if you don’t end up hiring an attorney to handle your separation or divorce, you would be well advised to get as much information as you can before you even discuss divorce with your spouse.

3. Do not move out of the marital home without talking to an attorney first. Download a Do It Yourself Divorce.

Leaving the house without a good reason may cause you to pay alimony or may result in your inability to collect alimony.  If you leave the house, you may also be unable to return until after a court divides the property. This process might take more than a year.  The best advice is to stay in the house until after you talk with an attorney unless your spouse is violent.  If your spouse is violent, you must take all steps necessary to protect yourself and your children.

4. If you have been involved in any extramarital affairs, talk to a lawyer before you discuss this with your spouse or anyone else.

In this case, honesty may not be the best policy.  In addition to the fact that adultery is illegal in some states, admission of an affair can have other consequences.  If your spouse is a candidate for alimony, any illicit sexual behavior on your part (during the marriage…which includes the time you are separated) could end up costing you thousands in additional alimony payments.

5. Take concrete steps to safeguard your assets before you and your spouse begin discussing divorce.  Get the divorce facts online without hiring an attorney.

One of these steps is to take possession of certain assets during separation, especially those assets you wish to be using, such as furniture and vehicles, and those assets that might be liquidated by your spouse, including precious gems and stones, other collectibles, cash, and bearer bonds.

Get Your Divorce Forms today by simply going to www.mydivorcedocuments.com!