Costs Of Divorce Attorney vs Divorce Mediation In California

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Costs Of Divorce Attorney vs Divorce Mediation In California

Tim Blankenship interviews Lisa Scholz about the costs of California divorce mediation combined with California divorce paralegal services and how the costs compare to that of using an attorney for your California divorce.  You can watch the video below and we also have the transcription of the video if you prefer to read it as well.

Begin Transcription –

Lisa: And a $100,000. That is an average Divorce.

Tim: I’ve looked at the same statistics and it’s shocking. And I think people don’t really think that, that is true.

Lisa: They think it’s not going to be that for me.

Tim: Right.

Lisa: Because we’re going to keep the cost down. And we’re going to figure this out. But they don’t realize how it adds up so quickly.

Tim: Very quickly! And that’s I think that two attorneys combined. So they have—

Lisa: Exactly!

Tim: If you have 30,000 they have 30,000 and I tell you having worked for attorney that is not uncommon. And often they worked that people would get their bills at the end of the month.

And we had more people call us after receiving their bill and say I want to settle. I want to settle.

Lisa: We’re done. We’re done.

Tim: I can’t believe we’re going to have nothing left at the end of this. And only unfortunately the attorneys win.

So they take that $60,000-100,000. Even if let’s say you have a simple case.

And you have all your agreements which would make you suitable for my services and you go to an attorney that can easily run you $15,000 just because of the hourly rates of the attorneys preparing the documents filing fees and so forth.

It can add up. So when you hear our fees combined and just roughly if you have minimal issues or just a few issues and maybe one session use our service for document preparation, Lisa’s services for mediation per session you’re talking like around $2,000 at the top of things as opposed to—

Lisa: Which is a quarter of a retainer that you would have to plant down at the beginning–

Tim: For attorney.

Lisa: Before anything else is done.

Tim: Yes. Before they start the case, yes! And that’s after your $350 or 450 paid consultations.

Lisa: Right. Right, it really is just such a start difference. And again we had the time issue.

We talked about the courts talking forever to even hear your case.  And there’s a lots of hoops you have to jump through before that even is on their calendar.

We can do mediation with your Divorce and it’s up to you. The court doesn’t tell you when you have to be there.

You decide on your schedule what works best for you.

It could a month if you kind of have to space it out and that would be the longest that would take for you to complete everything on your schedule, on your timeline, not somebody else is.

Tim: Yes.

063: Self-Help Options On California Divorce Tutorials Now On Youtube

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

In this episode, we will be discussing the California divorce self-help options and divorce tutorials. We will talk about everything you need to know about divorce.

We also want to let everyone know that the California divorce tutorials that we make is now on YouTube. So, you are going through your divorce on your own, you might want to check out our videos on YouTube and hopefully they can help you with your California divorce.

Make sure to listen to the latest podcast.

Lisa Scholz Explains Divorce Mediation Background – Santa Clarita Divorce Mediation

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Lisa Scholz Explains Divorce Mediation Background – Santa Clarita Divorce Mediation

When getting a divorce in California, one option you may want to consider is using a divorce mediator for your divorce. Divorce mediators are helpful when you need assistance coming to an agreement on your divorce or help opening up the lines of communication between you and your spouse. In this interview, we talk to Lisa Scholz who shares here background with California divorce mediation.

Tim: Today we’re here with Lisa Scholz who is a mediator.

And I want to get these videos out to folks with there’s a big misunderstanding about what mediators do when it’s in regards to family law.

So we wanted to get some information out there so we can kind of pull the curtain back on what mediation is in regards to and how it works with Family Law and Divorces specifically.

So Lisa Scholz is a Mediator/Divorce Coach. Why don’t you tell us a little bit about that does? And what mediation is?

And just kind of introduce yourself and your company and what you can do folks.

Lisa Scholz: Okay, so I’m a private non-attorney mediator. I know a lot of people know attorneys that also do mediation. And this is kind of a completely different perspective.

I have a practice where I help people through with their Divorce process. They need to have their legal advice from somewhere else that doesn’t come from me.

But I work on the communication skills. I work on coming to an agreement that works best for their family.

And that’s the most important to me is that it fits what they need as a family especially if there’s kids involved.

Tim: So regarding kids and family just overall decision making mediation as opposed to litigation long term especially if kids are involved–

Lisa Scholz: Yes.

Tim: Is going to be beneficial because they’re getting a Divorce but they’re still going to see each other on custody exchanges.

Lisa Scholz: The relationship needs to stay intact.

Tim: Yes.

Lisa Scholz: I mean you may not like your partner, you may not get along well enough to live together anymore but when you have children involved that relationship needs to be where you have those communication skills.

And you were able to salvage whatever relationship you had left so that your children are not the collateral damage.

Tim: Right. So tell us a little bit more about you specifically and your background.

Lisa Scholz: Okay.

Tim: Regarding how did you get into mediation. How does this come about?

Lisa Scholz: I went through Divorce as well several years ago. And was like most of the public that I’ve talked to, I didn’t know what mediation was.

I heard that I was supposed to go mediation before we had a hearing date. My ex-husband was not interested in participating in that.

That was something he wasn’t interested in. And I looked further into it. I asked a lot of questions.

I was getting ready to go back to school to get a Graduate Degree. And decided that was something I wanted to focus on.

It was Mediation in Complex Resolution. So I actually received my Masters in that specialty in Psychology.

So I come from a completely different perspective, a different background than attorney mediators do. I don’t have that litigation mindset.

I want a peaceful process. And it is completely in the hands of the parties of the clients.

This is their life which the decisions they make about their family should come from them and not from anyone else.

So more of a facilitator trying to ask those important questions that make them thinks about what’s the most important.

062: Why You Should Choose A California Uncontested Divorce

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

In this episode, we will be discussing why you should choose a California Uncontested Divorce.

We will be talking about what’s some of the benefits are of going through an uncontested divorce in California. And when we say uncontested we basically mean the parties are attempting to work through their divorce.

And come to a conclusion or a decision on everything that’s involved with divorce on their own as opposed to allowing it to go the way of attorneys or in enough where in the courts in the divorce courts.

Make sure to listen to the latest podcast to know more about uncontested divorce in California.

How California Divorce Attorneys Charge Clients

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

How California Divorce Attorneys Charge Clients

California divorce attorneys charge their clients for everything they do.  This includes reading or writing emails, phone calls, photocopies and even if they receive a fax from you.  The fees are very high when you use an attorney and you should know how your money is being spent before you retain an attorney.  We have many clients that were not aware how fast their retainers can be spent.

Here is the transcript of the video…

Tim: Right. So let’s talk about that. So let’s talk about the cost of Divorce, the cost of mediation because it can be very expensive or it can be very low cost.

It just depends of what direction you want to go.

And I found it interesting that you know about the point to and how they charge.

Lisa Scholz: Oh yes.

Tim: I worked for a law firm for several years out here. And I was just surprised how much money goes in to this and the way they bill.

Lisa Scholz: Right.

Tim: If you send and call an attorney an email. You’re getting billed for that for them reading it.

If you call them you’re going to be billed for that time. And you get charged in most cases in point six increments.

Lisa Scholz: Right.

Tim: So ten six minutes increments, so if it’s a one minute conversation you’re getting billed for six minutes. And if they charge $450 an hour that phone call cost you 20 30 or 40 bucks for—

Lisa Scholz: And it adds very quickly. I know I’ve had conversations where they received the bill for the month and are just blown away.

They didn’t realized what was being charged, what they were being billed for.

Tim: We’ve had people call us and say I just spent $5,000 on a retainer for an attorney and their assumption was that was the total cost.

Lisa Scholz: Right.

Tim: They thought, okay $5,000 we’ll get through this. They didn’t realize that that’s a retainer. I’ve done a lot of videos about this.

Lisa Scholz: Yes.

Tim: It’s a retainer. They get billed hourly, your photocopies, postage, phone calls, emails were all billed against that.

Lisa Scholz: Everything.

Tim: And it is gone in less than 30 days. And what I found is most of the time all that’s happened is the initial divorce papers were filed.

Lisa Scholz: Right.

Tim: And they’re served. No financial disclosures. Not even close to an agreement because that’s how it goes. I mean–

061: Why You Shouldn’t Delay Filing Your California Divorce

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

In this episode, we will be talking about the reasons why you should not delay filing your California divorce.

Here’s the reasons as to why you should file your divorce as soon as you and your spouse have decided to do so or the earliest you possibly can. Delaying filing for your divorce can cause a ripple effect which you will want to avoid as much as possible.

Make sure to listen to the latest podcast to know more about why you should not delay filing your California divorce.

Divorce Paralegal In Walnut California Walnut Divorce Service

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Divorce Paralegal In Walnut California Walnut Divorce Service

Today we’re talking to the folks in Walnut, California.

I just want to let you know about my business and how we can help you save some money, get you through your Divorce case without the need for hiring an attorney in Walnut.

So my name is Tim Blankenship. We have a licensed and bonded Legal Document Preparation Firm.

What’s that mean is we are a Divorce Paralegal Firm and all we do is specializes in Divorce. That’s all we do all throughout California.

So we are that affordable attorney alternative service that you maybe looking for if you’re going through an uncontested divorce or an amicable divorce or if you just don’t want to spend the money on the attorney.

We find that 90% of the cases filed throughout California for Divorce don’t involve an attorney in any aspect.

However, they do require in most cases if you want to get your Divorce finish successfully is that you use a professional service to prepare the documents, take them down the court, file them, serve them and handle all the agreements and prepare the judgment and wrap thing up for you.

And that’s what we do. As a full service Divorce Paralegal Firm, we will work with you. We will go to court for you.

File the documents, prepare the documents, and handle all the processes and procedures the court requires.

You won’t have to worry about that. And you can essentially go on with your life.

We’ll take care of your business. On our end we are the professionals. We are the go to folks in California for Divorce because that’s all we do.

Just give us a call if you have some questions about what we can do for you or you’re not sure if we will be a good service for you just give us a call.

We handle and we do provide free consultations over the phone. We want to make sure you’re going to be a good client for us as well.

We don’t want to start any cases we can’t finish. So give us a call because we handle so many Divorce cases we see a lot of different scenarios.

So you’ll be surprise at the types of things that we can handle.

So just give us a call. We’ll talk about your specific scenario.

Make sure you’re a good fit. And then explain exactly what we’ll do for you to get your Divorce wrapped up in a fast affordable manner.

The number is on your screen. When you need us, please go ahead and give us a call.

 

060: California Divorce Summary Dissolutions

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

In this episode, we will talk about California divorce summary dissolutions.

A summary dissolution is a divorce process where the courts allow you to go through the process and what they say is a much simpler way. You can’t have a lot of assets. You can’t have a lot of debts. And there are a lot of other restrictions on using a summary dissolution.

The problem with the summary dissolution is, it is a joint petition. And because it is a joint petition, both of you and your spouse, have to pay a filing fee.

Make sure to listen to the latest podcast to know more about California divorce summary dissolutions

Protecting Your Credit During Divorce In California

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Protecting Your Credit During Divorce In California

When going through a divorce in California you need to be careful to protect your credit as well.  Lot’s of things can come up and we frequently see people ruining their credit during California divorce, either because they are also going through bankruptcy, losing a home or because one of the spouses stopped paying the bills.  Watch this video for ways to protect your credit during divorce in California.

Below is the transcription of the video.

Today, I wanted to talk to you about bankruptcy a little bit and credit when it comes to Divorce.

So we have been seeing a lot of folks who are going through Divorce and also going through a bankruptcy or soon to be filing bankruptcy.

And of course bankruptcy is one of the major issues surrounding Divorce or I should say money problems are a leading cause of Divorce.

And so you may find yourself going through bankruptcy or having financial problems with your Divorce but I want to talk a little bit more about your credit and how that works related to going through a Divorce.

So I was talking to a credit repair agency person recently. And it just happened we’re chatting about a credit and how it’s affected by Divorce.

And a couple of topics came up that I want to share with you.

Number one, the number one issue with Divorce in credit is that when you go through Divorce and let’s say you have $20,000 in debt.

And that’s going to be paid and agreed to be paid by let’s say your spouse. Your spouse agreed to pay.

It’s in the agreement, it’s in the marital settlement agreement and it’s in the judgment.

So you have a piece of paper signed by both you and your spouse and the judge may be ordering and agreeing to the fact that your spouse is going to be responsible for that debt.

What you need to know is that the judge order and your spouse and you and your spouse agreement does not supersede that of the credit card company.

So what is that mean?

If you have a joint account or joint credit card that has a balance of $20,000 just for simplicity sake and your spouse agrees to pay it yet he doesn’t or she doesn’t, even though it’s in the agreement, there’s nothing really that you can do.

The credit card company does not care about your agreement or the judge order regarding the credit card debt.

You have a credit card that’s a joint account where both of you have signed and are responsible for that liability.

So that can become a problem where you are having an agreement, yet they’re not following through an agreement in paying it.

So you may want to consider doing, is start dividing up your debts putting them in separate accounts. Maybe get a separate credit card before your credit is ruined by not making these payments.

Get a separate credit card that way you can transfer the debt if it’s going to be each paid by half.

Put $10,000 in to each credit card account individually, individual credit card accounts so your credit can’t be ruined by your spouse.

One of the other things is when you’re going through a Divorce is people credit is impacted negatively because people stop paying debts in some cases.

So you guys are in agreement maybe just one of the spouses had already moved out of the family home, and they stopped paying on credit card debt. And their credit, your credit starts to be ruined.

And then what happens is when you have no choice. You’re not able then to get new credit cards or separate that your credit is already ruined.

And now you’re going to have that problem in filing for bankruptcy if you’re not able to get yourself out of that debt, if your spouse is not paying that debt off as agreed and things in that nature.

So unfortunately most people aren’t planning on Divorce but if you see that it’s around the corner you may want to start separating your debt.

You need to protect your credit because we have clients again going through bankruptcy at the same time as Divorce. It just adds one more stress to your life.

It’s best if you can get that dealt with beforehand because if you have to file for bankruptcy or even if you don’t but you have all this a must credit card debt that you can’t get out from under, you’re going to have trouble re-establishing your credit for years and especially with the bankruptcy, I think it’s seven years before that even goes away.

And so not only do have a Divorce and that on your shoulders but now you have ruined credit.

And you’re going to need that credit to re-establish yourself, to restart your life, to even rent an apartment.

I’ve had wives in here who were trying to rent. Their credit was ruined because of some of the issues we’ve talked about here.

And so they had—they’re trying to get lots of reference, they had a co-signers because their credit was really bad because they stopped paying their bills or were unable to pay their bills or whatever the case maybe during the Divorce process.

So just keep that in mind and try and protect your credit. Don’t let that be one more victim of the Divorce.

 

 

059: How To Keep A Long Term Marriage

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

In this episode, we will be discussing how you can maintain a long term marriage. Although we offer divorce service, we still would want you and your spouse to work your marriage out when you are in trying times.

This episode will tell some tips on how you can keep a long term marriage. But when everything is all decided and you and your spouse really wanted to go through divorce, we can definitely help you with your California divorce

Make sure to listen to the latest podcast.