Media release For immediate issue
Make the Split Easy without massive fees
with new DIY divorce platform
It’s a short trip down the aisle, but the route to separation is often long, messy and expensive. Until now. A disruptive new DIY divorce negotiation and documentation platform created by two Melbourne entrepreneurs is helping reduce the emotional and financial toll on splitting spouses.
With more couples predicted to say “I don’t” due to the stress of COVID-19, end of JobKeeper and other pressures, Split Easy is simplifying the legal process of divorce and separation.
The innovative and impartial platform makes the Family Court submission process easier, takes the pain out of asset division and parenting plans, and slashes the settlement period.
Split Easy CEO and Co-Founder Nicholas Zoch said it was his own divorce that opened his eyes to a gap in the market.
His background in accounting helped him see that the hefty sums paid to lawyers simply didn’t add up – and set him on the path to a groundbreaking solution.
“My divorce wasn’t nasty and didn’t even end up in the Family Law Court, and I was able to represent myself,” he said.
“But my ex was left $40,000 out-of-pocket for legal advice even though we negotiated everything ourselves. There’s a well-known quote: ‘Love is grand; divorce is a hundred grand’ and he was, pardon the pun, on the money.
“In fact, it’s not uncommon for Australians to end up paying around $200,000 in legal fees while going through the court process when filing for divorce.”
Whether married or de facto, Split Easy helps couples seeking an amicable separation through a step-by-step process to determine a reasonable division of assets, then generates the legal documentation required to separate the asset pool. Should couples disagree on the split, the platform uses in-built predictive technology to help optimise the outcome for individuals.
Along with Co-Founder Justin Lawrence, Mr Zoch launched Split Easy to help avoid lining lawyers’ pockets, allowing splitting couples to keep more money for living costs or the next chapters of their lives.
“The maximum amount it will cost to use Split Easy if you agree on a percentage split and don’t have children is $1,499; if you have kids and don’t agree on the percentage split, the most you will spend is $2,499,” he said.
“The first stage of the process is free and allows you to see how simple and stress-free it is to navigate. We know that the legal process can be protracted, confusing and can make people fearful. But Split Easy’s online platform simplifies the process and enables separating couples to get on with their own independent lives quicker, at significantly less cost.”
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show 49,116 divorces were granted in 2019 – just under half the number of marriages (113,815). The COVID-19 lockdown reportedly also led to a spike in people seeking information about divorce and/or separation.
Mr Zoch said Split Easy put the control back in the individual’s hands – allowing communication with their ex at their own pace, in their own time, without worrying about the escalating fees of lawyers.
“The timeframe for reaching settlement when using Split Easy is usually weeks, whereas similar negotiations commonly take 18 months with family lawyers, ” he said.
“If couples can’t reach agreement, then we also offer an external mediation service.”
If couples are still unable to agree on their asset split and parenting arrangements following mediation, Split Easy can supply the person who engaged its services with a full transcript of their situation that can be provided to a lawyer to pursue further.
