What is a Divorce Decree?
It is a one-page document issued by a judge that terminates your marriage.
How to Get a Divorce Decree from the Court
Each court has a particular set of requirements to secure a divorce decree. Generally, the procedures are very precise and time sensitive. Alpha Center professionals will give you the guidance you need to secure your divorce decree.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Divorce Decree?
The time it takes to get a Divorce Decree varies in each court and by client circumstances. Sometimes a Divorce Decree can be issued within two months of application and, if a waiting period is applied it can take several months.
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“text”: “It is always best to wait until you have a signed Marital Settlement Agreement before you sign anything else that changes ownership or obligations. The divorce law is much more complicated than most people realize so you need solid legal guidance to avoid major problems in the future.
Sometimes one person will push the other to sign over a house or car under the mistaken belief that it will somehow give them security or an advantage. They don’t understand that there are only two ways to ensure that financial matters are finally resolved: either by signing a Marital Settlement Agreement or having a Court issue an order.
Your Attorney-Mediator will guide you through the financial division decisions and then work with you to ensure that finances are fully divided when they can and should be. They always work toward dividing household budgets and implementing support payments as soon as practical to relieve the immediate financial pressure of joint budgets.
Everything else is usually divided within 30 days of the date the Marital Settlement Agreement is signed. Some things take longer, such as dividing some retirement plans that require a court order or dividing the proceeds of a house that is being sold.
It could quite literally cost you tens of thousands of dollars in additional taxes if they are not properly addressed. This is especially true when dividing retirement plans during divorce. For example, employee benefit or pension plans subject to ERISA (401K, 403B, defined benefit, etc.) require a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) in order to transfer the money from one spouse to another spouse’s retirement without incurring income taxes or the 10% early distribution penalty.
You can have a verbal agreement between the two of you but there are some serious problems that you are likely to encounter if you do not secure a written Marital Settlement Agreement.
Even if you have been given assurances and feel that you can trust the word of your spouse, it is not wise to rely on that trust to protect you far into the future. When you decide to separate or divorce, the dynamics of both of your lives are likely to undergo significant change and you will be much more secure with your Agreement in writing. Here is one of the many possibilities:
It is a one-page document issued by a judge that terminates your marriage.”
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