Pricing
Child Support Modification
(Court filing fee varies)
Separated, divorced or unmarried parents who have existing child support orders and need to modify them to reflect changes in income and/or expenses. We help you to complete the necessary paperwork to make the request and then file it with the Court for you.
What you get: Completed support modification request
Phase 1: Filing with the Court
Phase 2: Notice of Court hearing
Phase 3: Day of Court Guide and/or referral to a local attorney who will appear with you in Court
- Guided interface and tutorial to create documents to file for your child support modification
- All necessary government forms to file for child support modification
- Electronic filing of all documents with the court
- Delivery (“serving”) to your spouse (additional $85).
- Day of Court Guide and/or referral to a local attorney
- Double-check review to ensure completeness and consistency in documents
Divorce Petition & Disclosures
(est. $450 Court filing fee not included)
Ideal if you want to start your divorce ASAP and even better, you can do this from the comfort of your computer, without having to mail anything, go physically to Court or serve documents to your spouse. We take care of all those tasks for you.
What you get: Completed divorce petition and financial forms
Phase 1: Initial Court Documents
Phase 2: Completion and exchange of financial information
Phase 3: Objective assessment and referrals for completing your divorce agreement.
- Guided interface and tutorial to create documents to file for your divorce
- All necessary preliminary government forms to file for divorce (translated to be easy to understand)
- Electronic filing of all preliminary documents with the court and delivery (“serving”) to your spouse.
- Easy exchange of all of the assets, debts, income and expenses that need to completed for the divorce process.
- Divorces can drag on. Our technology gives you the ability to begin and track your divorce through the court system so it’s finalized asap and you are legally single again and free to move on with the rest of your life.
- Electronic name change request (if desired)
- Double-check review to ensure completeness and consistency in documents
Frequently Asked Questions
Do both of us need to use Separate?
Separate was designed to be flexible so one or both of you can use our system. It only takes one person to file for divorce. The first person to use Separate will technically “serve” documents to the other person. Both of you can use Separate, however, to get access to all the support, resources, and referrals.
Who is looking out for my interests if I get divorced with Separate? Don’t I need a lawyer to be sure I don’t get screwed?
We believe you can do most of this yourself with Separate guiding you, and still get expert help if you feel you need it. The money you save by using Separate will enable you to hire a lawyer for “limited-scope” representation for the parts of your case where you might want an expert to advise you or review an agreement to protect your interests. By contrast, if you hire a lawyer at the get-go you could exhaust your budget before your case is complete.
Why are the lawyers in the Separate network working at deeply discounted rates?
The deep discount refers to the fact that you don’t have to pay a retainer to use one of our vetted attorneys. The lawyers charge standard rates, and just for the time you use. You get a great savings because you avoid paying a retainer which can be upwards of $5K.
What do I have to do to get a divorce started?
You can start with either our Starter or Get It Done Plans. Either will help you with the first step in the process–filing a petition for divorce with the court. Even better, you can do this from the comfort of your computer, without having to mail anything, go physically to Court or serve documents to your spouse. We take care of all those tasks for you.
Will I receive spousal support?
We help you make a fair spousal support plan according to California law through our guided process.
How long will this take if I use Separate?
There are 3 steps to completing your divorce. Once you complete the first step — filing for divorce–you can expect it will take at least six months for your divorce to be final. Sometimes cases drag on longer. We have designed our system for efficiency. Separate is the only service that helps you expedite the court process by giving you electronic status updates direct from the court to help you stay on top of your case and get this done as soon as possible.
What kind of help could I get from a lawyer in the Separate referral network?
One of our vetted referral attorneys can help you:
- Review an agreement of spousal or child support to ensure you are protected
- Perform legal analysis of a more complicated community property division or spousal support calculation
- File a request to the Judge to make a ruling on a particular issue
We can also connect you with financial planners. Often this is the help people really need. A financial planner can help you:
- Come up with a budget to maintain your lifestyle
- Calculate a more complicated community property division
- Calculate how to divide retirement accounts
If I start with one plan, can I later switch to the other plan?
Yes. You simply pay the balance.
What about the kids? Do you help us figure out custody?
We guide you to create a parenting plan for the kids which includes custody arrangements. And if you want to work with a therapist to support yourself and your family emotionally we connect you through our referral network.
