Getting a divorce is known to be a lengthy process, especially if parties cannot reach a mutual agreement. Most people hire a lawyer to represent them through the process. They think it’s good to have someone represent their interests, but there are pros and cons. The biggest downside is hiring lawyers can make the process much pricier and more drawn out. This is why people are now seeking less costly alternatives, like online divorce. 

IMPORTANT: Did you know you can divorce without a lawyer and save $20,000+? Learn more here.

Solutions like online divorce help you avoid never-ending court hearings, stress, and loss of personal capital due to ongoing legal representation. If you want to wind down your marriage faster by reaching a mutual agreement between the two parties, you should consider an online service with digital mediation, like  Bliss Divorce.

Do You Need a Long Beach Divorce Lawyer?

The most common reason why people want to discover if there are alternatives to hiring a Long Beach divorce lawyer is the time-consuming nature of the process. Also, they charge hefty fees for consultations in their office, filing motions with the court, preparing paperwork and just about everything they do.

Most divorce lawyers in Long Beach won’t even disclose the exact amount of money their clients will be required to pay for the service. They require an upfront retainer (usually $5,000 to $10,000) and charge by the hour. As soon as your retainer used up they ask for more money. That’s why in traditional divorce both parties suffer great financial loss and high stress levels.

Thankfully, nowadays, there are online divorce services that are more convenient, easier, and less stressful for clients. Additionally, online divorce platforms help you reach a mutual agreement regarding property division or child custody and also help you prepare the paperwork from start to finish without any lawyers involved. 

You can even ask for an online divorce mediator to help you resolve disagreements about specific divorce terms if needed. Divorce mediators can advise the spouses to resolve the matters in a civil manner and continue to finalize the divorce process without hiring a lawyer at any stage.

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Long Beach Divorce Lawyer vs. Online Divorce

Divorce attorneys and online divorce services are very different.

When you hire a divorce attorney, they represent only your interests. Your spouse’s attorney does the same thing, and this is where a lot of the conflict comes from. They will eventually work out an agreement (out of court if you’re lucky, but often a trial with a judge is needed), but only after months of back and forth proposals and negotiations.

The experience with the best online divorce services is quite different. You and your spouse each get your own login. If you’re getting along you can work together, but if not you can work independently. The online service helps you document assets and debts and say how you’d like to divide. It also lets you propose what you’d like for child custody and spousal support.

Dispute resolution is quite different in online divorce, too. Instead of months of back and forth with lawyers, highly effective AI-powered digital mediation tools can help most couples resolve disagreements in a matter of weeks. If you still have a few issues left to work out, services like BlissDivorce let you choose your own mediator. Their services are included in the fee.

Cost

Hiring divorce lawyers  costs on average over $25,000. But, this amount could go up depending on the attorney, length of engagement and complexity of the case. Remember, attorneys could charge up to $500 per hour or more.

Conversely, online platforms’ services may cost from $999 to $3,500, depending on the services you require. Thus, online divorce can not only be completed faster and easier than a traditional divorce, but it is also a more cost-effective option.

Time

With a traditional divorce, you may feel anxious before it’s time to meet your spouse in court. Also, the court hearings tend to be long, and the settlement may take longer than you expect.

Online divorce can shorten the process and decrease stress levels because the process is facilitated online, without the need for court hearings. If you disagree on certain matters, you can reach an agreement in a matter of weeks without the conflict and stress of a divorce attorney.

Control

A Long Beach divorce lawyer takes control of the whole process. They lead all the discussions based on your pre-established needs and requirements. They might want to use every piece of information against the other party to bring them down. However, this could cost you a lot and worsen your relationship with your ex-to-be partner.

In online divorce, the control of the whole process is in the spouses’ hands. This could empower couples to discuss issues on their own terms and come up with compromises that benefit both sides equally. It gives spouses time to think and reflect on their own decisions. They decide which settlement is fair for both parties to end the divorce by mutual consent.

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Divorce Process in Long Beach, CA

• File for a divorce petition

To get a divorce in Long Beach, with or without divorce attorney representation, the spouse initiating the process files a divorce petition. The divorce petition is the first and most important form the court needs. 

But some counties require additional paperwork, so getting informed about what documents you need is of utmost importance. If you’re using an online service the petition is filed for you as part of the process.

• Responding to the petition

Once the petition is filed and approved by the court, the spouse who filed the petition must fill out and serve a summons on the other spouse. The spouse who receives the summons has 30 days to respond. If he or she does not respond, the spouse who filed the petition has the right to file for default divorce.

• Disclosures

Part of the divorce process that many people are not even aware of is the required financial disclosures.

As part of the divorce process you are required by law to disclose all your assets and debts, as well as income, to your spouse. There are specific forms you need to fill out, and there are both preliminary and final disclosures. Filling out the forms by hand is very time consuming and tedious. Good online divorce services will generate these forms for you, which is another reason to consider online divorce.

• The negotiation process

In the negotiation process, spouses must come to an agreement on things like property division, child custody, and spousal support to ensure the process meets the legal requirements.

If you’ve both hired Long Beach divorce attorneys, negotiations will proceed through a series of proposals sent back and forth between the lawyers. There may also be court hearings, depositions and face-to-face meetings in the lawyer’s office. In the best-case scenario, both spouses will agree on the required terms without involving the court. However, if they cannot reach a mutual agreement, an expensive and drawn court trial can take place.

The negotiation process with online divorce is quite different. Specialized AI-powered tools identify what’s important to each spouse, and process this information to come up with compromises both spouses are likely to accept. There can be some back and forth negotiation through the platform, but there are no court hearings, no meetings in the lawyer’s office and definitely no court trials. For couples who have a really hard time working things out they can use an online mediation as part of the online divorce process.

Property division

In Long Beach, the property acquired during the marriage belongs to both spouses equally. One exception is if one of the spouses has inherited property or received it as a gift from a family member or friend. But if the spouses bought a house together, each shares an equal interest.

The spouses can reach a property division agreement on their own terms and submit it to the court for approval. If they are unable to reach an agreement, the court determine how the property will be divided. Quite often the court will require the sale of assets, like the family home, that the spouses would have preferred to keep.

Child custody and support

California law states that the child custody agreement is handled between the two spouses to meet the interests of their children. Most couples going through a divorce agree to joint custody for the sake of their child.

But there are situations in which joint custody is not the best option for the children. Thus, one parent is granted sole custody. The other can get supervised or unsupervised visitation rights to allow the child to spend time with both parents.

California family courts have established specific guidelines for divorcees regarding child support. They calculate an amount one of the spouses must pay based on their monthly income and living circumstances. Online divorce services will calculate this amount for you.

• Finalizing the divorce

In this step, divorcing couples file the final divorce forms, including the judgment and agreement on property, child support, and finances. The court then reviews the forms, makes sure nothing is missing and there are no mistakes. If everything is in order the court will approve the divorce. If there are issues the paperwork will be sent back to the spouses or their lawyers for review. Online divorce services like BlissDivorce guarantee the paperwork will be accepted by the court.

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Long Beach Divorce Requirements

Before getting a divorce in Long Beach, California, you must determine whether you are qualified according to state laws. You and your spouse need to meet certain requirements before deciding to take the first step and start the divorce proceedings.

At least one of the spouses needs to have resided in California for six months before filing for divorce. Handling a divorce process for couples living in another state is not in the Californian’s court jurisdiction.

In addition, one of the spouses has to have lived in the county where the divorce filed for at least three months. Since Long Beach is located in Los Angeles County, the court may accept the case if one of the spouses lived in Los Angeles County for three months. This requirement is referred to as the venue or the court’s ability to hear the case.

The Cost of Divorce in Long Beach, California

There is no set amount on the average cost of divorce in Long Beach, California. It depends on whether you will need to hire legal representation, the time to resolve spousal disagreements, and if children are involved.

Due to the higher cost of living, divorce in California is more expensive than in other states. On average, a lawyer’s costs can reach over $26,000 during the divorce proceedings.

The cost of divorce in Long Beach may depend on the type of divorce you choose. But most importantly, the expenses might build up due to unresolved matters that prolong the process, draining the pockets of both spouses. It’s always best to try to compromise and reach an agreement, to keep costs down.

Parental agreement

The parenting agreement is one of the most common issues spouses face during divorce proceedings. Since your children’s interests are delicate, they might require more time and consideration, which adds to the cost.

Spousal Support (Alimony)

Often, one spouse is required to pay alimony to the other. The court requires the spouse with a higher monthly income to financially support the other during and after the divorce, which adds to the original cost of the divorce. The court takes into account up to 12 different issues when deciding spousal support, so it’s hard to predict how much it will be. Spouses can reach an agreement on their own outside of court, which is usually preferable. First marriages of less than 10 years, spousal support usually lasts for a period of time equal to half the length of the marriage.

Property agreement

Taxes and moving expenses may increase divorce costs when dealing with property agreements. The worst-case scenario is negotiating on dividing shared property for too long. This may make the process more emotionally draining and expensive.

Some couples own businesses together. If they choose to separate, they often hire accountants to advise them on their company’s value. There will likely be disagreements about managing the business, taking time and money to resolve them.

Additional services

Married couples often manage their budget together, including all their investments, retirement funds, inheritance, and other potential assets. They also handle debts, loans, tax obligations, and car payments. 

Some couples choosing to separate will hire financial professionals to guide them through this process. They consider it worth the money because they would rather someone else handle the financial burden than face their spouse. But these professionals charge hefty fees for their services.

If both sides are willing to compromise and put their ego aside to reach an agreement, they might minimize the cost of divorce. Unfortunately, most rely on divorce attorneys without realizing there are more cost-effective options for getting a legal separation, such as online divorce platforms.

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Types of Divorce in Long Beach

There are various divorce options available in Long Beach, California. Finding the best option for your specific needs, requirements, and unique situation is important.

California allows spouses to get a contested or uncontested divorce. Knowing the difference between these two types of divorce will help you choose the most beneficial and stress-free method for your situation.

Uncontested divorce

When both parties are able to reach a mutual agreement on property division, child custody and support, this type of divorce is referenced as uncontested. This is the simplest and fastest option to get a divorce in Long Beach, California.

Some spouses can work through their problems and reach a settlement that benefits both sides regardless of their past disagreements. You can submit the agreement documents to the court when all is set and done without having to involve divorce attorneys in the process. Couples can hire an online divorce service to reach an agreement if a slight dispute occurs.

Contested divorce

When spouses can’t reach a mutual agreement on more than one issue, they commit to a contested divorce. The subject of a contested divorce can be any term of the divorce itself, like property division, asset division, child custody, etc.

In such a divorce, the parties usually hire  divorce attorneys to help them reach an agreement for the specific divorce term. 

However, due to the hefty attorney costs, that may reach over $40,000, couples sometimes choose to go with a less costly variant– online divorce platforms. 

An online divorce service may cost you from $999 to $3,500 per spouse.

How Long Does a Divorce Process Take in Long Beach?

The divorce timeframe in Long Beach, California, may vary depending on several factors. Usually, a divorce process could last for no more than six months. Nonetheless, many reasons can cause the procedure to turn into a seemingly never-ending cycle.

The six-month waiting period

California has established a six-month waiting period from the time the responding spouse is served divorce papers to the point of divorce finalization. Some call it the “cool-off” stage, and it  is mandatory for all couples filing for divorce in the state.

Some couples live separately for years without getting a legal divorce. But when they choose to get one, they won’t be able to skip the six-month waiting period. After six months have passed and all disagreements are resolved, the couple can get a divorce.

However, keep in mind that this period is the minimum duration of a divorce process. A divorce rarely goes without complications, and additional time to finalize the divorce will be needed if conflicts are not resolved before this stage passes.

Unexpected delays

During divorce there can be many delays that slow down the process. The most common one is when the couple struggles to divide their joint property or can’t agree how much to pay for spousal or child support. These types of problems may cause the divorce process to extend many months beyond the six-month waiting period, preventing the spouses from getting remarried or simply moving on with their lives.

Even when you think every dispute is resolved and you agree on mutual settlements, unexpected delays of divorce finalization may occur. Usually, one of the spouses changes their mind about something and prolongs the process.

Another delay could be filing inaccurate documents in court. When this happens the court rejects them and the documents must be revised and re-submitted. This is a surprisingly common occurrence, so it’s important to use a reputable company to prepare documents. The online service BlissDivorce goes so far as to guarantee your paperwork will be accepted by the court.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 10-year marriage rule in California?

According to California state laws, being married for 10 years or longer can affect spousal support (or alimony) payments. For marriages of 10 years or longer, there is no guideline on how spousal support should last. It’s up to a judge to decide if support should be permanent or if a reasonable date can be set for the receiving spouse to start supporting him or herself. For marriages of less than 10 years, the term of spousal support is usually equal to half the length of the marriage.

In both long-term and short-term marriages, spouses can reach their own agreement on support and submit it to the court.

How much is the cheapest divorce in Long Beach California?

Court fees in Los Angeles, CA are $435 per spouse. If you can’t afford this you can ask the court for a fee waiver.

If you fill out all the paperwork yourself then you can get divorced for just the cost of court fees, plus miscellaneous expenses like postage and serving documents on your spouse.

The problem with this is that the paperwork is not simple. There are multiple steps (first the petition, then serving and responding to the summons, then disclosures, then the judgment and final paperwork) and the forms can be complicated. Most couples who try to prepare the forms themselves find it difficult and more often than not have forms rejected by the court.

The next less expensive option is to use an online divorce service. It will save most couples tens of thousands of dollars vs. hiring attorneys.

Can you get an immediate divorce in Long Beach, CA?

No, you cannot get an immediate divorce in Long Beach, CA, or anywhere else in the state of California. All divorces are subject to the six-month waiting period. If you are in a hurry to get division of assets, spousal support and child custody terms in place, you might want to consider legal separation. It is not subject to the six-month waiting period.