Just the idea of getting divorced can be overwhelming. There are so many emotions, fears, and uncertainties involved that it can be hard to even figure out where to start—let alone what kind of help you may need along the way. That is why we’ve compiled a few resources here to provide you with quick and easy access to available help and support in your city, state, or over the Internet.

Free Divorce Resources for Women: Understanding Your Journey

If you are a woman looking to learn more about the divorce process – including the legal, financial, practical, and emotional aspects of it, start with us, SAS for Women! We have more than 375 divorce advice articles that can help educate and prepare you for what may lie ahead if you are thinking about … in the process of … or recreating after divorce.

On our website, you can browse through our divorce advice articles or choose a specific category (scroll down on the Home page and pick a category) to better address your divorce-related questions and concerns.

SAS also offers free, divorce consultations for women. In your free 15-minute meeting, you’ll share more about your situation and we’ll offer our best suggestions for your next, healthiest steps (whether you choose to work further with us or not). Take advantage of our decade-long coaching practice supporting women as they deal with and rebuild a meaningful life after divorce. If you’ve not had your complimentary meeting before, we invite you to schedule your free consultation now. We will look forward to speaking with you.

If you are not ready to talk right now, we get it. But take a step (albeit, quietly) to support the conversation you are having … inside your head. Join our tribe to receive a free, weekly, 6-month coaching letter that provides you with insights, steps to take, and things to consider about the divorce process as a woman. You will also learn of workshops, Zoom events, and free happenings that may interest you. Visit here to receive our free coaching letter — which is sent discreetly to your inbox.

Free Divorce Resources Relating to You and Your Finances

Savvy Ladies is a non-profit organization that offers free financial education programs designed to help women build a financially stable future. They help many women who are dealing with divorce and offer programs that include webinars, workshops, blog articles, and a free financial helpline that provides financial planning resources and personalized financial advice from financial advisors and experts in the pro-bono community. These programs are especially helpful for women rebuilding and adjusting to a new financial life after divorce.

If you are struggling to support yourself financially, consider applying for a grant. Free Grants for Women is a great resource that offers information on available grants for women and how to apply – if you are interested. These grants can help you pay your electric bills, medical bills, rent, housing, mortgages, college, and other expenses. In addition to the grants, you can also find information on resources that offer free legal assistance and legal aid for women, such as the National Women’s Law Center, pro-bono attorneys and organizations, and the Legal Services Corporation.

Free Divorce Resources for Finding a Lawyer or Mediator

If you are looking for a divorce lawyer, Avvo offers a free and easy to use legal directory. All you have to do is type in “divorce lawyer” or “divorce mediator” or “collaborative divorce attorney” under the practice area, add your zip code, hit search, and just like that– you’ll have a list of local divorce, legal professionals at your fingertips. Some of these lawyers even provide free consults. These listings are particularly useful because they include detailed profiles of the listed attorney, reviews, and the attorney’s Avvo rating. Avvo’s rating is determined by the lawyer’s experience and background, legal community recognition, legal thought leadership, and discipline– all of which are important factors to consider when deciding on an attorney to hire, or even, to meet with for an educational consultation.

Your City Bar Association: Depending on where you live, your city bar association may offer a referral service to help you on your quest to find a divorce lawyer.  To see if your city’s bar association offers this service, enter your city and “bar association referral service” into Google. There is a good chance the referrals will include pro bono lawyers, so this is a great resource to use if you are seeking pro bono legal assistance. Some city bar associations with this referral service are listed below.

• New York City:  https://www.nycbar.org/get-legal-help/
• Baltimore, MA: https://www.baltimorebar.org/for-the-public/lawyer-referral/
• Chicago, Illinois: https://lrs.chicagobar.org/
• Nashville, Tennessee: https://www.nashvillebar.org/?pg=NeedAnAttorneyContactUs
• King County, Washington: https://www.kcba.org/For-the-Public/Hire-a-Lawyer

Your State Bar Association is another resource offering referral services that can help you find legal assistance for divorce-related matters. Here, for example, are referral services offered by Kentucky and Nevada’s state bar associations. To find out more about the referral process in your state, be sure to check your state bar association’s website!

Free Divorce Resources on Divorce Paperwork

If you need help finding information on Courthouse documents and forms relating to divorce, it is a good idea to consult your local city and/or state court website, like NYCourts.Gov Most states will provide similar court resources that will help you navigate through the divorce process pursuant to your state’s divorce laws. Another example is California Courts Self-Help Center for Divorce. This resource has the steps and forms that everyone uses — including the highest-paid lawyers.

Free Support and Help if You are Dealing with Domestic Violence

Safe Horizon is a nonprofit organization in New York City that provides help and support for victims of domestic violence and abuse. Some of their services include a 24-hour call hotline, domestic violence shelters, community programs, and a counseling center.

(If you are dealing with abuse, we also urge you to read our article here: “Leaving an Abusive Marriage? There are Steps to Take.”)

WomensLaw.org is another resource for anyone– not just women– who are victims and survivors of abuse. One service offered on this website is an email hotline that is available to anyone who reaches out with legal questions about domestic violence, sexual violence, and other related topics included on the website. This resource also provides information about abuse, the laws in your state and what they mean, and places where you could seek further help in your state (such as shelters, courthouses, legal assistance, and sheriff departments).

Free Divorce Resources or Reduced-Cost Services

You can also research nonprofit organizations in your city and state that support women through legal services, like The Women’s Resource Center in PA. This nonprofit offers a variety of free or low-cost family law-related programs designed to help women with divorce related issues. The WRC also provides financial stability services– including financial coaching and career resources– to help women become more financially stable. If you are divorced or in the process of getting divorced, these services are a great way to ensure your future is financially secure.

Her Justice is an organization that provides free legal divorce help to women living in poverty in New York City. The services offered by this organization include: (1) legal information, advice, and referrals; (2) brief services (meaning, the preparation of required court papers and other legal documents); and (3) volunteer attorney representation in court in cases of divorce and other legal areas covered on the website. To qualify for these services, you must identify as a woman, live in one of the five boroughs of New York City, have a legal issue relating to family, divorce or immigration law, and meet specific income guidelines (which can be found on the website).

Important Note

Legal aid resources can be found elsewhere, across the globe. For instance, The Australian Pro Bono Centre is the national center of leadership for pro bono legal services in Australia. The Centre was established to help grow participation in and improve Australian pro bono legal services. In addition to providing information on how legal aid is administered in Australia, the Centre’s efforts and mission to improve the pro bono legal community serves to benefit pro bono services at a global level.

If you or someone you know are looking for free or low-cost legal assistance in the UK or Canada, check out these links below: 

• UK: https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid 
• Canada: https://www.ontariocourts.ca/scj/at-court/assistance/#:~:text=Pro%20Bono%20offers%20a%20free,%2D855%2D255%2D7256.

I could go on and on listing more resources– but I think you get the gist. The point is, you do not have to go through this process alone. And not only is there no shame in seeking help, seeking help is actually what smart women do! There are many resources out there (a number of them listed right above) that can provide you with the information and support you need to survive the divorce process and make a full recovery afterwards. Explore the ones in this article to begin your search and stay committed to you.

NOTES

Jayne Cleary is a second-year law student in New York who is committed to helping educate and improve the families in her community.

 

Whether you are thinking about divorce, dealing with it, or recreating the life you deserve, one thing we see making a significant difference for women is the conscious choice to not do it alone. Since 2012, smart women around the world have chosen SAS for Women to partner them through the emotional, financial, and oftentimes complicated experience of breaking up and reinventing. 

SAS offers all women six free months of email coaching, action plans, checklists, and support strategies for you — and your precious future. All of our emails are sent discretely to your inbox, too.  Join our tribe and stay connected.

 

*We support same-sex marriages. For the sake of simplicity in this article, however, we refer to your spouse as your “husband” or a “he.”