The Truth About How Much Divorce Costs

Popular culture has widely embraced the idea that all divorce is an expensive, complex process. In reality, many divorces are surprisingly inexpensive and straightforward. The majority of divorces fall somewhere between these two extremes. If you were to ask the question, “How much does divorce cost?” the answer would be specifically tailored to you, your marriage, your goals and your general approach to divorce.

Oftentimes, the most expensive divorces are those that are highly contested. If spouses fundamentally disagree about matters like property division or child custody, litigating these issues can be time-consuming and costly. Every time that you or your spouse needs to use the aid of an attorney to complete a task, that task will cost your attorney time and will cost you money in return.

If you and your spouse agree on most issues but have complex assets to divide or a complex child custody arrangement to construct, you may be able to save money by mediating or otherwise negotiating the terms of your divorce with the aid of your attorneys. Keeping your case largely out of court will almost certainly save you a significant amount of money.

Finally, if you and your spouse do not disagree on matters of property division or child custody and can generally communicate the terms of your divorce to your attorneys, your case will prove to be relatively inexpensive and straightforward, provided that the terms of your settlement are fair and the terms of your child custody arrangement suit the best interests of any children affected by it.

Source: The Huffington Post, “What Every Divorce Lawyer Should Tell Their Clients,” Christian Denmon, Feb. 18, 2015