Skip the $5,000 retainer. The Complete Divorce is guided CA divorce software built by California attorney-mediator Dina Haddad. Answer plain-English questions and the program fills your 100% court-approved forms — including the FL-100 and FL-700 joint petition.
Dina Haddad · CA Divorce Mediator
An AI-guided program that selects the right forms for your case.
Every official California court form your case needs, in one guided program.
Every step is built by Dina, a practicing California divorce attorney.
Rated 5 stars by real California couples who finished at home.
A DIY (do-it-yourself) divorce means you and your spouse complete your own California divorce — without hiring an attorney or a mediator. It’s also called self-representation, or filing pro se. The program below just makes it simple.
You and your spouse complete the divorce yourselves — no attorney, no mediator. The software fills the official California court forms from your answers.
Couples who agree on the big decisions and meet California’s residency rule: 6 months in the state and 3 months in your county.
Most uncontested California divorces are finalized entirely on paper — without ever appearing in court.
About $435–$450 in court filing fees, plus guided help — a fraction of a $3,000–$5,000 attorney retainer.
Having kids doesn’t disqualify you. It simply adds a few required forms, such as the FL-105 for custody.
California has a mandatory 6-month waiting period, but your paperwork can be finished well before the clock runs out.
No legal jargon, no guessing which form goes where. Tap each step to see exactly what happens.
Tell us about your situation in plain English — residency, children, property and support. There is nothing to look up.
Your answers map straight to the right California Judicial Council forms — FL-100, FL-105, FL-700 and more — so you never choose the wrong one.
Download completed, attorney-validated PDFs — already filled with your answers and formatted exactly how the court expects them.
Follow the step-by-step filing guide and live webinars with Dina to submit your paperwork and obtain your divorce decree.
This is the real guided program — the same one on our homepage. Answer a couple of questions and watch your California forms fill in.
These two answers rebuild the rest of the interview. Whole sections appear or disappear — you'll never be asked something that doesn't apply to you.
Every answer saves the moment you type it. Close the tab, come back next week, land on the same question.
The date of separation must be after the date of marriage.
These five answers fill page 1 of FL-100 — the case type, the residency box, both dates and the children box. Print the form from the panel on the right and they are already on it.
Building your FL-100…
To file for divorce in California, at least one spouse must have lived in the state for six months and in the county where filing for at least three months to file for divorce. This doesn't apply to legal separation. Consider changing your response.
Skip the trauma and the massive legal bills — and skip the risk of filing the wrong form yourself.
"I built this so couples who agree don't have to hand $5,000 to a lawyer. You do the work — I make sure the paperwork is right."
Dina Haddad is a California family-law attorney and mediator with an LL.M. and 15+ years of experience. Every question, form and checklist in the program is built on her courtroom experience — so your DIY divorce holds up the first time.
No hidden add-ons. Your $49.99/mo covers every form and every step for both spouses.
Every California Judicial Council form your case needs, filled from your answers.
Standard and joint petition supported for couples who already agree.
Both spouses work from a single account — no duplicate paperwork.
Live sessions with a California divorce expert to answer your questions.
Local forms customized to the California county where you file.
Real human help when you need it, plus guidance if the court pushes back.
A DIY divorce in California costs $435 to $450 in court filing fees, plus whatever you spend on help preparing the forms. That is the whole mandatory cost — everything above it is optional.
If you cannot afford the filing fee, California form FW-001 waives it entirely based on income or public-benefit eligibility. With an approved waiver and self-prepared forms, a California divorce can cost $0 in court fees.
Filing fee only. Cheapest, but the highest risk of rejected paperwork.
Cancel anytime. Court-approved, county-specific forms and expert review.
Roughly, plus the court filing fee.
Or more.
The cheapest route is rarely the fully unassisted one. A rejected judgment packet can add months to a case that already has a mandatory 6-month wait, and refiling costs more time than the help would have cost.
See how real Californians avoided courtroom drama, saved thousands in legal fees, and finalized their divorce from home.
The questions most couples ask before their first form.
The cost of DIY divorce in California can vary. It is less expensive than hiring attorneys, even if you still pay what others might consider a ‘pretty penny.’ The most costly part is the court filing fee, around $450 for the petition itself.
Yes! It is absolutely possible to get a DIY divorce in California without physically appearing in court, especially if your divorce is not being contested. You will need to complete the required forms and then file them with the court. Most family courts or counties allow online filing.
It depends on you! Although. California has a mandatory 6-month period to have your marital status dissolved; you can finish your divorce much sooner. When you are not waiting for court hearings and attorneys, you are in a better position to have a quick divorce. DIY divorce is an excellent solution for a speedy divorce.
Anyone is the best candidate for DIY divorce—if you want to do it and have already made a plan with your spouse, then you are good to go.
Yes, as long as all your paperwork is in order, you can go through your DIY divorce without going to court. With The Complete Divorce packages, the divorce experts will review your forms and agreements to ensure you have everything. Otherwise, you risk getting your papers rejected by the court.
You should consider your spouse and whether they will be willing to communicate and cooperate throughout the process.
The cheapest way to divorce in California is to use a DIY divorce service, like The Complete Divorce. However, you do not want to pick the most affordable method. You want a service that still provides essential legal knowledge and allows you to have your documents reviewed and filed for you.
They are similar, but they are not the same. Online divorce involves using more online services and guidance, while DIY divorce involves handling the process on your own.
The easiest way is to communicate effectively with your spouse and choose the best option for you.
You are not having all your paperwork filled out or making minor mistakes. You may avoid being thorough in getting your papers rejected. This can cost you a lot of frustration and more time to get your divorce done. It’s essential to find the right DIY resources to avoid this.
Yes, TheCompleteDivorce provides all the information, making navigating your DIY divorce easier. It also provides a review and file of the documents.
Yes, you will be required to enter credit card information when you sign up or buy our online or DIY divorce related services.
A DIY divorce is a divorce you complete yourselves, without hiring an attorney or mediator. It is also called self-representation or filing pro se. You prepare and file your own court forms, serve your spouse, exchange financial disclosures, and submit a judgment for the judge to sign. It works best for uncontested cases where both spouses agree on all terms.
File for divorce in California yourself in 10 steps: confirm residency (6 months in California, 3 months in your county), check if you qualify for summary dissolution, prepare and file FL-100 and FL-110, serve your spouse, wait 30 days for a response or request default, exchange financial disclosures (FL-140 and FL-141), negotiate your agreement, prepare the judgment (FL-180), submit it for court approval, and attend a hearing only if the judge requires one.
Yes, but avoid generic nationwide kits. California superior courts require state-specific and often county-specific forms, and a generic kit is one of the most common reasons judgment packets get rejected. The Complete Divorce provides the full California form set with guided instructions, unlimited edits, and expert review for $49.99 per month.
The core California divorce forms are FL-100 (Petition), FL-110 (Summons), FL-105 (UCCJEA, if you have children), FL-115 (Proof of Service), FL-140 and FL-141 (Declaration of Disclosure), FL-150 (Income and Expense Declaration), and FL-180 (Judgment). Your county may also require a local cover sheet.
Yes. Having children does not disqualify you from a DIY divorce, but it adds required forms and a higher bar for the judge. You must file FL-105 (UCCJEA), submit a parenting plan covering legal and physical custody and a visitation schedule, and calculate child support using California guideline figures. Judges scrutinise child-related judgments more closely, so accuracy matters more here than anywhere else.
If you have more questions regarding TCD’s online and DIY divorce program, pricing, process, or cancellation policy, then please contact us at “[email protected]“.
Guided CA divorce software, built by an attorney, for the price of a single hour with a lawyer. File without the courtroom — and without the $5,000 bill.
