Coming to the decision to divorce is very difficult and stressful for most couples. It is not uncommon for married couples who are worried about changing from having a dual income to a single income to consider a DIY divorce in order to save money on lawyer's fees. While it is true that experienced, reputable divorce lawyers are not cheap, it is always in your best interest to have a lawyer represent you during a divorce. Some of the top reasons to avoid a DIY divorce include:

Clouded Judgment

Going through a divorce is not easy-- many people find it to be a very emotional, stressful, and trying process. While you're dealing with the personal side of ending a marriage, the last thing you should try to do is negotiate the legal terms of your divorce on your own. This is especially true if you have no legal experience. When you're going through a hard time emotionally, your best bet is to hire a divorce lawyer who understands the divorce process and can work on your behalf.

Difficulty Coming to Agreements

In many cases, divorcing couples have negative feelings towards each other. If there is any animosity during the divorce process, it can be incredibly hard to come to a mutual agreement regarding the decisions that must be made during a divorce. If you and your spouse have already decided that the marriage is over, the last thing you want to do is argue some more to try to make decision about things like child custody and division of assets.

Not Knowing How to Protect Your Best Interests

If you choose to do a DIY divorce, there is no one who is looking out for you and protecting your best interests. A divorce is more than just legally ending a marriage-- the terms of a divorce can impact your life for many years to come. Making the wrong decisions during a DIY divorce can cause you a number of problems in the future.

Failure to Make the Best Decisions for the Children

When there are children involved, a DIY divorce is rarely a good idea. Determining a co-parenting plan, how custody will be split, and the amount of child support that one parent may need to pay is something that is best left to professionals who have a deep understanding of divorce and what terms need to be put into place for both the parents' sake and the children's. If you and your spouse have children and are planning on divorcing, you really need the services of a divorce lawyer.