The “We Both Agree” Hook
Not every divorce is a war. When two people agree on everything and nobody wants support, California actually gives you a simpler, cheaper path — sometimes two of them. Ava asked attorney Michael Benavides how a low-conflict split really works, and which simple route fits.
Ava Asks, Michael Answers — Simple Divorce, Plain English
Ava:
We agree on everything and neither of us wants support. Is there a shortcut?
Michael, Esq.:
Possibly two. If your marriage is short and your finances are simple, California’s summary dissolution
is the most streamlined divorce on the books. If you don’t qualify for that, a regular uncontested
divorce — where you both sign a written agreement instead of fighting — is still far simpler than a contested case.
Ava:
What makes us eligible for the summary version?
Michael, Esq.:
You have to clear every
gate: married under five years (wedding date to separation), no minor children together and no pregnancy, neither of you owns or holds a long-term lease on real estate, community property under about $57,000 and each spouse’s separate property under about $57,000 (cars don’t count), debts run up during the marriage under about $7,000 (car loans don’t count), and both of you permanently give up spousal support. Miss one gate and you can’t use it. Those dollar limits are 2025 figures and adjust over time.
Ava:
What if we have kids or a house?
Michael, Esq.:
Then summary dissolution is off the table — but your divorce can still be simple. You use a regular dissolution and keep it uncontested with a marital settlement agreement. It’s a standard case on paper, just without the fight.
Ava:
Is the summary one really that different day to day?
Michael, Esq.:
Yes — it’s the simplest there is. You file one joint petition together, so there’s no “serving” your spouse and no response to file, and usually no court hearing at all. The trade-off: you both give up the right to appeal or ask for a new trial, and that spousal-support waiver can’t be undone later.
Ava:
Even if it’s this simple, do we still have to share financial information?
Michael, Esq.:
Yes. Every California divorce — even the friendliest — requires exchanging financial disclosures. Skipping that step is the most common way a “simple” divorce gets reopened years later.
Ava:
Does either route skip the waiting period?
Michael, Esq.:
No. Neither is final until at least six months and one day after you start. Simple doesn’t mean instant — California builds that wait into every divorce.
Ava:
So how do we choose?
Michael, Esq.:
Short marriage, no kids, modest assets, and a true mutual waiver of support — summary dissolution. Anything bigger — longer marriage, children, real estate, or higher assets — regular uncontested divorce with a solid written agreement. Either way, agreeing is what keeps it simple.
What to Do
When you both agree and no one wants support, a California divorce can be genuinely simple — summary dissolution if you clear the short-marriage, no-kids, modest-assets gates, or a regular uncontested divorce with a written agreement if you don’t. Both still require honest financial disclosures and both take at least six months. A free Stunning Law consult in Sacramento, Stockton, or Modesto tells you in one call which simple route fits your situation — and keeps it that way.
Stunning Law by Michael Benavides, Esq. — free consult | CA Bar No. 270714 | Sacramento, Stockton & Modesto | 707-362-4166 | attorneymichaelbenavides.com
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. Stunning Law is a family-law content brand of the law practice of Michael Benavides, Esq., California State Bar No. 270714. Ava is an editorial brand voice, not an attorney; only Michael Benavides, Esq. provides legal analysis. General information only — not legal advice; no attorney-client relationship is formed by reading this. Authority referenced (Family Code §§2320, 2339, 2400 et seq., 2100–2107) is as of mid-2026; summary-dissolution dollar limits adjust periodically — verify current figures before acting. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
