The last time I was in Mexico we decided we wanted to go see the sea turtles. A beach nearby, Akumal, is world famous for the turtles.

But there were many decisions to be made prior to this adventure. Should we take a tour group? Should we take a taxi or uber? Should we rent a car? Just the choices about how to get there were a lot to consider.

We got advice from the owner of the condo we were renting. He was an expert, he lived in Mexico most of the year and had been to that beach many times. We drove a rental car to the beach. But the advice we got before we left was critical to how our experience went that day, and the advice saved us lots of money.

When you arrive at Akumal, understanding where to park is quite confusing. Even figuring out where to enter the beach is complicated. Additionally, there are many people trying to sell you things, as well as attempting to inform you of the requirement of hiring a guide to go into the ocean to see the turtles.

Not only are these guides convincing, but also expensive—charging $35 per person to take you into the water and rent you a life vest. They make you think you’re prohibited from going into the water without a guide or a vest.

But since we obtained proper advice prior to our trip, we knew better. We had our own life vests and the turtles weren’t difficult to find. They’re as big as a coffee table and they must come up for air, so they’re easy to spot in ten or fifteen feet of water.

By speaking to an expert first, we avoided the unnecessary guide. We saved money and trouble, resulting in a much better experience.

There were many other examples of this expert advice during our week in Mexico. These tour guides are no different than the many options you might encounter at the beginning stages of a divorce. Who do you trust, and who should you talk to?

For example, there are these companies which sell divorce forms and paperwork, as well as ways on how to “file for divorce online.” What you don’t know is that any of that is a complete waste of money.

To begin with, there is no county in Michigan where you can file online. Also, any forms you might need—although I do not recommend using simple “boilerplate” forms—are available for free on the Internet. However, the forms are only about 5% of the divorce process.

Like hiring a guide you don’t even need, the people selling you the forms and encouraging you to “do it yourself” are just like the people on the beach selling you something unnecessary. You only need to wade into the water to see that the turtles are right there, without a guide.

But this isn’t to say that you should handle the divorce proceedings on your own. You need to get advice from the right person. Remember, on my trip to go see the turtles, I got expert advice. I got lots of expert advice that week in Mexico, saving me an immense amount of trouble and helping me avoid problems and dangers.

Divorce is the same way. We can give you advice at the very beginning, regardless of whether you hire us to handle your divorce. It’s hard to know who to trust. After all, you’re used to trusting your wife, but now you can’t really trust her either.

We can help you navigate through the intricacies of the divorce process by saving you money, time, and frustration from beginning to end. Some of the advice we give is not deciding between doing it yourself, or using us, but rather knowing what to use and who to trust. While we would never recommend doing it yourself, we can explain why and show you the value of having an expert involved in your divorce.

At the American Divorce Association for Men (ADAM), we take pride in providing our clients with experienced legal counsel designed specifically toward their needs. There are many decisions to be made throughout the divorce process, and we can help guide you with all of them—each step of the way. And with our help, you won’t have to be afraid of getting into the water, because you’ll have the information you need.

For more information about the divorce process in Michigan, contact us at (248) 327-0050 and schedule a free phone consultation today.