This article was originally published on Divorce Magazine. You can view the original article here.
Consider a Quickie Divorce To Save Time
The divorce process can be a lengthy and painful time that drags on for months or years. When you are amid emotional turmoil over the demise of your marriage, the last thing that you want to encounter is a longer waiting period. Fortunately, there are several ways around the time-consuming portion of the process. An alternative to this norm is a “quickie divorce," which allows couples to file quickly and move on with their newly single lives.
Try The Option of an Uncontested Divorce
The first method that many couples use to reach a quickie divorce is filing for an uncontested divorce. In this type of arrangement, the two spouses have already agreed upon the specific terms of the settlement. No arguments exist regarding property division, child support, custody arrangements, or any other loose ends.
Situations that involve retirement savings, investments, alimonies, and other complicated financial arrangements may not be able to be settled on their own. Rather, they may require the assistance of a certified divorce financial analyst, attorney, or mediation specialist to reach an agreeable settlement that is fair to both parties.
To qualify for an uncontested divorce, you and your spouse will need to open the lines of communication. To be able to speed up the divorce process, it is crucial that you get on the same page in terms of the details surrounding the end of your marriage and all your marital property. If the two of you are capable of being amicable throughout this process, it allows you to officially end the marriage more rapidly than couples who are less effective at communicating.
A No-Fault Divorce Can Speed Up The Divorce Process
Likewise, it also helps to file a no-fault divorce. In this type of arrangement, neither spouse is trying to prove that the other is at fault for the breakdown of the marriage. They simply need to claim that the reason for the end of the union is related to any of the recognized reasons available in their state. Most commonly, this option means filing for divorce because of irreconcilable differences.
Places to Get a Quickie Divorce
Of course, beyond those basic steps to get a quickie divorce, you could also consider moving. Many states offer looser residency requirements and shorter waiting periods, which allow for the entire process to move through the court system faster. If you do not currently reside in one of the states listed below, you may want to relocate if finalizing your divorce is of paramount importance to you and your spouse.
Below is a list of the most popular states that will finalize a quickie divorce, as well as their specific requirements:
- Alaska This state is one of the few that does not have any residency requirements. Spouses must reside in the state at the time they file, and intend to continue living within Alaska. There is a thirty-day waiting period.
- Idaho To reach the residency requirement, spouses must live in Idaho for a minimum of six weeks. After this period, there is a twenty-day processing time to finalize the divorce.
- Montana Montana has a ninety-day residency requirement before individuals can file for divorce.
- Nevada In terms of obtaining a quickie divorce, Nevada is slightly faster than Idaho. The residency requirement is the same (six weeks), but there is no waiting period afterward.
- New Hampshire At one full year, New Hampshire has the longest residency requirement of the states on this list. However, for couples who are already residents of New Hampshire, there is no waiting period. Therefore, you could effectively file and obtain an entire divorce within an incredibly short period of time.
- South Dakota Only a sixty-day waiting period applies in South Dakota, and it has no residency requirements.
- Wyoming Wyoming has a sixty-day residency requirement, followed by a twenty-day waiting period.
Consider Your Financial Future Before Having a Quickie Divorce
To get the process of divorce over with much faster, consider filing for divorce in one of these states. While a quickie divorce is not ideal for every circumstance, some couples could benefit from this type of arrangement. Open communication is a key component to making these quickie divorces work.
Communication is key when filing an uncontested divorce because the settlement must be agreed upon between both spouses. If there are complicated financial implications or unfavorable settlement terms, this type of arrangement is best avoided. Your financial future could be at stake.
If you believe that there are more complicated issues that could impact your finances or that the settlement is unfair, you may want to pursue a divorce that utilizes an attorney or mediation professional.
Keep in mind that while divorce is a painful process emotionally and financially, you do not want to rush into an unfavorable settlement. It has long-term implications for your financial future, which you will not want to jeopardize if you want to end the marriage faster.
Shawn Leamon, MBA, CDFA is the host of the “Divorce and Your Money Show” and Managing Partner of LaGrande Global, with offices in Dallas, New York and Hanover, New Hampshire.
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