Resources
Plain answers, free for everyone.
Guides written in ordinary words, reviewed against state law, for anyone facing a divorce, whether or not you use KindSplit.
Before you decide or file
Planning ahead
Thinking about divorce: how to know you are ready
Certainty is rare. Clarity is enough. Here is how to find it before you act.
First steps before you file
A short, quiet checklist that protects your money, your privacy and your options.
The documents to gather before you file
Most delays trace back to a missing statement. Collect these once and you are ready for disclosures.
Four ways to divorce, and how to choose
Do it yourselves, mediate, collaborate or go to court. Cost and time differ by a factor of ten.
If you are afraid of your spouse
Your safety comes before paperwork. Here is where to start.
Filing, serving and finishing
The legal process
How a divorce moves through court, step by step
File, serve, disclose, agree, finalize. The names change by state. The shape does not.
Serving your spouse: methods, timing and proof
Service is the step most often done wrong. Here is how to do it right the first time.
Financial disclosures: what you must share and when
Full and honest disclosure is required in every state. Incomplete disclosure is the most expensive mistake in divorce.
Uncontested, contested and default divorce
Three words that decide how much your divorce costs.
Do you need a lawyer? When to hire one
Many people finish without full representation. Some situations call for a lawyer from day one.
How divorce mediation works
A neutral guide, a few sessions, and an agreement you both wrote.
Temporary orders while your case is open
Who pays the mortgage and where the children sleep can be decided now, not months from now.
Assets, debts, support and taxes
Money and property
Community property and equitable distribution
Nine states split marital property equally. The rest divide it fairly, which is not always equal.
Dividing retirement accounts and pensions
A decree is not enough. Most workplace plans need a separate court order, called a QDRO.
How child support is calculated
Every state uses a formula. Knowing which one yours uses tells you what numbers matter.
Spousal support: how courts decide
Some states use formulas. Most weigh factors. All care about length of marriage and the income gap.
What a divorce costs, line by line
Court fees are the smallest line. The path you choose is the biggest.
Taxes during and after divorce
Filing status, children, the house and retirement all change. A few rules cover most cases.
Businesses, stock options and complex assets
When the balance sheet gets complicated, value first and negotiate second.
Untangling and starting again
After divorce
Ready when you are
Have a question the guides do not answer?
Ask Counsel. It answers from your state's rules, with sources.