Guides
Plain-language answers to the questions almost everyone has. No jargon, no legalese — just what's actually going to happen and what to do next.
Free: The Uncontested Divorce Filing Checklist
The whole path on two printable pages — what to gather, decide, prepare, and file. We'll email it to you, plus a short series of practical tips (unsubscribe anytime).
How a divorce actually works, start to finish
The whole path in plain English, so you know what's coming.
Contested vs. uncontested — which are you?
The single biggest factor in how hard and expensive this will be.
Residency and waiting periods, explained
Two timing rules that trip people up before they even start.
What is a motion (and when you need one)?
A motion is just a written request asking the judge to do something.
The documents most divorces need
A quick map of the paperwork, so nothing surprises you.
How to file your papers with the court
Turning your finished documents into an actual court case.
Serving the other party (and proof of service)
How to legally notify your spouse — and prove you did.
How child support is calculated
Where the number comes from, and why it's not arbitrary.
No money? Free and low-cost options
You have real options even with little or no money.
How much does a divorce really cost in 2026?
Real numbers — attorney rates, filing fees, and what doing it yourself actually saves.
Uncontested divorce checklist: everything to gather and do
A start-to-finish checklist for an agreed divorce — documents, decisions, and filings.
Divorcing with kids: the documents you'll actually need
The extra paperwork children add — and what each document is for.
How to serve divorce papers when you can't find your spouse
Diligent search, service by publication, and how a divorce proceeds anyway.
What judges actually look for in a parenting plan
The standards behind 'best interests of the child' — and what gets plans approved or rejected.
How to change a child support order
When modification is possible, what counts as changed circumstances, and the process.
Divorce when you own a house together
The three real options for the house — and the mortgage trap to avoid.
Default divorce: what happens when your spouse doesn't respond
The timeline, the extra steps, and the limits when the other side ignores the case.
Fee waivers: how to file for divorce for free
If the filing fee is a barrier, courts have an official way to remove it.
Online notarization for court documents: how it works and where it's legal
Remote online notarization (RON) in plain English — legality, process, and court acceptance.
Served with divorce papers? What to do now
Your deadline to respond, what an Answer is, what a default means if you ignore the papers, and where to find your state's response form.
Changing a custody order: modification and relocation
How custody orders actually change: the substantial-change standard, relocation and move-away cases, and why informal agreements don't count.
Alimony and spousal support, explained
The types of spousal support, the factors courts weigh, the post-2018 tax treatment, and what waiving, reserving, and modifying really mean.
How long does a divorce take?
The honest divorce timeline: the clocks the law sets, the uncontested-to-contested spread, and what actually causes delay.
Dividing retirement accounts: 401(k)s, pensions, and QDROs
How 401(k)s, pensions, and IRAs divide in divorce: the marital share, what a QDRO is, why IRAs transfer differently, and where DIY goes wrong.
Getting your name back after divorce
The cheapest way to restore a former name is in the decree itself — plus the after-the-fact path and the update checklist that makes it real.
What if your spouse won't sign the divorce papers?
A spouse who refuses to sign can't stop a divorce in most states. What refusal actually changes, ways to de-escalate, and the safety exception.
Military divorce basics: SCRA, USFSPA, and where to file
How military service changes divorce: SCRA stay protections, where military families can file, retired-pay division under USFSPA, and the 20/20/20 rule.