The last major step in the process is finalizing your divorce. In some states, this is a trivial process that can be accomplished by completing forms and mailing or faxing them. In other states, you, or your lawyer, will be required to appear in court. In all cases, if you have negotiated a fair divorce agreement in advance, the process of finalizing the divorce will not be contentious.
Most states require you to wait a certain period of time between separating and finalizing your divorce. Of course, until your divorce is final, you technically remain married and cannot remarry. Although you may feel that, since you have resolved all of the issues, you are safe to act as though you are no longer married, be careful. Laws that apply to married persons still apply to you. In some states, until the divorce is final, your divorce agreement might not be final—so your actions might result in the falling apart of what seemed a done deal.
