If you're ready to divorce, you have several options: Expensive and exhausting legal battle with lawyers, mediation, and filing online, amicably.
DIY divorce is the lowest-cost way to go, though it can be confusing. An affordable divorce paper filing company is a good option. While CompleteCase is a quality option, 3 Step Divorce is our No. 1 recommendation for online divorce papers.
While we can’t provide legal advice, this recommendation is made from the standpoint of journalists who spent many hours vetting brands, based on the following:
- A+ BBB rating
- 100% money-back guarantee your papers will be accepted by your local court
- 24/7 free online and live phone customer service
- Divorce papers for all 50 states
- Get started for $84 >>
- Established in 1997
And, 3StepDivorce.com is available in all 50 states:
Keep reading to learn more about CompleteCase and why we recommend 3 Step Divorce.
What is CompleteCase?
CompleteCase is an online divorce preparation service founded in 2002 by Randy Finney, a Seattle family law attorney. The site claims to have helped more than 700,000 users through the divorce process.
Divorce.com, OnlineDivorce.com and CompleteCase were all acquired by a private equity firm in 2022, and work in partnership with Hollywood celebrity divorce attorney Laura Wasser.
Is Complete Case legitimate?
CompleteCase is 100% legit and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. CompleteCase has a 100% money-back guarantee that your divorce papers will be accepted by your local court.
CompleteCase has been featured in news outlets including USA Today, Good Morning America, Los Angeles Times, and TIME magazine, and has helped more than 700,000 users through the divorce process.
Is CompleteCase secure?
CompleteCase.com is shored up by TrustedSite, which monitors the site for malware, malicious links, and phishing.
Data entered on CompleteCase is encrypted by Go Daddy Secure Certificate Authority.
Who should use CompleteCase.com?
Molly Rosenblum, owner and founding attorney of The Rosenblum Allen Law Firm based in Las Vegas, says she typically recommends filling out forms through an online divorce service like CompleteCase if you and your spouse:
- Don’t have kids OR you agree on how to co-parent your kids, including setting custody and child support arrangements
- Are more or less on the same page about how to divide your assets and debt (or you don’t have any shared assets/debt)
Because of its accessibility and coverage area, CompleteCase.com also bills itself as an easy solution for members of the military both at home and overseas.
How does CompleteCase work?
CompleteCase fills out divorce forms on your behalf through a detailed questionnaire, covering topics like asset/debt division, custody arrangements, and child support/alimony.
How to sign up for CompleteCase
I recently went through the sign-up process for CompleteCase, and this is how it went:
- Answer four questions to determine your eligibility:
- State of residence
- Whether you know the location of your spouse (not required)
- Whether your spouse agrees to the divorce and is willing to sign the divorce papers (CompleteCase notes that you must be in agreement before you can receive your divorce paperwork, and their form is designed to help you get there.)
- Whether you and your spouse have any children under the age of 18
- If you qualify, you’ll continue answering questions about:
- Date and location of your marriage
- Children and pregnancies
- Properties and debts
- Who is filing for divorce
- Current living arrangements
- Community property
- Community debts and money owed
- Income sources
- After these initial questions are complete, you’ll have to pay a processing fee of $299 to continue answering questions and receive your form.
- The next set of questions can be completed in less than an hour and covers topics like:
- Custody/visitation
- Child support
- Alimony
- Division of assets/debt
- Retirement benefits
- Pending claims
- Child litigation
- Insurance coverage
- Real estate
- Vehicles
- Debts
- Once you’ve reviewed your answers, you submit your forms for processing, which typically takes two business days, or you can pay $49 to get your divorce papers within 30 minutes. You can opt to receive your forms in one of three ways:
- Online download – Free
- Shipping via Priority US Mail – $20
- Expedited shipping – $35
- After you receive your documents, review them for accuracy and make changes as necessary.
- File your approved paperwork with your local court system.
The process to sign up was fairly straightforward, and CompleteCase provided instructions for each question to ensure I was filling out the correct information.
Questions you’ll have to answer for CompleteCase
These are some questions you’ll have to answer:
- When and where did you get married?
- How many children do you and your spouse have, and are you pregnant? CompleteCase helps resolve all child-related issues, including custody, time-sharing, child visitation schedules, and child insurance coverage.
- Do you two own any property, like a house or a car, and do you have any debts?
- Which one of you is actually going to file for the divorce?
- Do you live together?
- Will you split the things you bought together evenly?
- Will you divide your owed debts evenly?
- Do you and your spouse have sources of income other than employment?
- Do you owe each other money?
- Do either of you serve in the military?
- Who gets the house in the divorce, or will you sell it?
- Do you have any shared vehicles and who will get them?
The questions in the CompleteCase questionnaire took me about a half hour to complete, though you can take as much time as you need to get it right. Instructions are provided through each step of the process.
The software autosaves any progress you make so you can pick up right where you left off, and you can keep making changes right up until you’re ready to file.
Make an account and pay
For CompleteCase’s $299 service fee, you can:
- Organize your case information
- Calculate child support
- Access completed documents for signature
- Access detailed filing instructions
- Make minor document updates within 30 days
- Access phone and email support
- Receive documents in two days in all U.S. states and Canada
- Edit/update your information via online portal for 30 days
You’ll only have access to your account for 30 days, after which you can pay for unlimited storage for $39.99/month.
How much does a divorce with Complete Case cost?
The CompleteCase package costs $299. This price includes all the papers you need to file for divorce in your state, as well as detailed filing instructions. There are no additional fees for children, assets, or alterations to your case made within 30 days.
If you don’t get everything done in one month, you can extend your CompleteCase.com subscription, which extends the time you have access to your divorce forms for $39.99 per month.
CompleteCase.com will refund your money in full within 30 days of purchase if the documents it provides are not accepted by your local court.
There’s one other thing that’s really important to understand: None of this includes your actual court-filing fee for the divorce, which can range from $200-$500 depending on where you live. However, all of this is far less than the average $15,000 to $20,000 you’ll spend if you file for divorce with an attorney, based on data in a recent Forbes article.
CompleteCase reviews
CompleteCase reviews are a mixed bag, depending on the review site. Common complaints include issues with delays in service and difficulty getting refunds.
Positive reviews praise CompleteCase's customer service department and claim the site makes getting a divorce easy and affordable.
Here's how we rated this service:
Our CompleteCase.com ratings:
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User interface
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Time to complete forms
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Value
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Customer service
CompleteCase BBB rating
CompleteCase has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2013 and holds an A+ rating.
CompleteCase reviews from the BBB
CompleteCase has 1/5 stars on its BBB profile, based on more than ten reviews, though the newest one is from October 2022.
Negative reviews mention delays in service and difficulty securing a refund, though CompleteCase's customer service department appears to be proactive in resolving complaints:
CompleteCase reviews from Trustpilot
CompleteCase has 4.3/5 stars on Trustpilot based on 500+ reviews, though some are very brief and seem repetitive:
CompleteCase reviews from Reddit
All of the Reddit posts/comments I could find about CompleteCase weren't great, though they were all from more than two years ago, before the company was acquired:
Pros and cons of a DIY online divorce with CompleteCase.com
CompleteCase pros
- Established site with an A+ BBB rating (accredited) and 20+ years of experience
- If this is something that works for you and your spouse, you could save a lot of time and a lot of money
- CompleteCase.com offers a simple, straightforward process with detailed instructions
- Additional offerings for purchase, including Quitclaim Deeds ($14.95), “Children in Between” parenting class ($89.95 per spouse), Name Change kit ($35)
- Because of its accessibility and coverage area, CompleteCase.com can be an easy solution for members of the military both at home and overseas
- Email and phone support from legal pros
- Links to state court systems and other resources, like tips on finding local attorneys
CompleteCase cons
- Like most of its competitors, CompleteCase.com doesn’t actually offer legal advice. If you’d really like a legal expert to handle your divorce, this isn’t the place for you.
- This works on a subscription basis, so if you don’t complete your online paperwork within a month, you’ll need to pay $39.99 per month to retain access.
- As you’re filling out the questionnaire, there is no progress bar to let you know how much longer you have to go. There are also some pop-ups for additional products you’ll have to skip past if you don’t want to purchase them.
Also, CompleteCase just helps you get divorced — not create a new life. A top priority of course is healthy co-parenting with your now-ex.
Read our OurFamilyWizard review.
Is CompleteCase.com a good choice?
If you and your spouse are ready to move on with your lives and you both agree on how you want to do it, it’s going to be tough to find something more efficient than CompleteCase.com.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with cutting ties as soon as possible so that you can begin your healing process and both of you can start figuring out your futures.
But there’s also nothing wrong with taking things slow if that’s what you need. After all, divorce is a monumental moment in your life.
Complete Case vs. other online divorce services
CompleteCase is just one of the many filing companies. You can learn more in our reviews of online divorce services, including why we like 3StepDivorce.com.
Bottom line: Is a CompleteCase good option?
There are so many lousy online divorce paper services that CompleteCase stands out as a good choice.
However, 3StepDivorce is a superior product over CompleteCase because:
- A+ BBB rating
- One price includes all fees
- Payment plans allow you to start a divorce for $84 >>
- Get your complete divorce papers ready immediately — no wait required.
Ready to file? Our guide for how to prepare for divorce
CompleteCase is 100% legit and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A rating. CompleteCase has a 100% money-back guarantee that your divorce papers will be accepted by your local court.
