How to Divorce With No Money

It is not uncommon for women to stay in bad marriages because they can't afford to get divorced. But you CAN get a divorce with little to no money. You just have to know how to go about it.

Your ability to keep your divorce costs down is going to depend on whether your divorce is contested or uncontested. If it's uncontested, it means that you and your husband agree on all the issues (money, children, division of assets). This is going to be the easiest divorce because you won't be fighting in court or relying on a judge to make decisions for you. If the divorce is contest, you and your spouse are disagreeing about things and you will likely need an attorney to help you file the correct documents and participate in hearings and trials.

There are three general options when you have very little money to get divorced:

• Do it yourself - This option is best when things are uncontested. It becomes much more complicated if you're arguing about things and you are going to have hearings in front of a judge to help settle the issues.
• Get assistance from a legal aid society - Most states have legal aid societies that give free legal assistance to low-income people. The services they provide will range from simple advice all the way to representation in court. Some legal aid societies do not assist with divorce cases, however, so you'll have to contact one local to you to see if they have services available to you.
• Use an online service to help you - If you need assistance with your divorce but cannot afford an attorney, and online service such as Hello Divorce may be a good option. Services like this provide assistance with the forms and process of divorce, and often do it at a very reasonable cost.

Divorce filing fees typically run from $300 to $500, so if you can prove that you have a financial need, the court may waive the filing fees for you. If you do not have any money to get divorced and cannot afford the filing fees, you may be eligible to get a "fee waiver." You may have to file an "affidavit of indigency" to prove that you cannot afford to pay the fees.

If you are working with an attorney in your divorce, one key way to save money is by doing some of the work yourself.Gathering financial documents on your own can save you thousands of dollars in legal fees, so the extra effort you may have to put in will be well worth your time.