How Much Does a Divorce Cost?
Getting a divorce is an expensive proposition; depending on which route you take, it can be downright overwhelming! For the men and women who divorce each year, one of the first questions they ask is, “How much will it cost me to divorce?”
To understand the answer to that question we need to examine the types of divorces and the various fees and associated costs. We’ll start with the most expensive type of divorce and work our way to the least expensive.
Unquestionably, a litigated divorce is the most expensive type of divorce. In some jurisdictions, a two-day trial can run upwards of $25,000. Why is this type of divorce so costly? It starts with the adversarial tone of the whole process.
Both parties draw a line in the sand, retain their own divorce lawyer and come to the divorce proceedings with guns drawn (metaphorically speaking) ready to do battle. In these divorce court wars, no one is giving any ground and no one is backing down, no matter how absurd or insane his or her demands are.
In a litigated divorce, if children are involved, attorney’s fees can easily be in the $12,000 to $26,000 or more range, for each party. It should go without saying, “A divorcing couple should avoid this type of divorce like the plague.”
This type of divorce is becoming more popular as more divorcing couples learn of its immense benefits. The average median cost of Divorce Mediation is around $5000.00. To some, that figure may seem high, but bear in mind, the average cost of a typical divorce is now around $20,000.00.
That’s why we have a saying at DivorceCourtAtorneys.com, “Why Litigate When You Can Mediate? The environment in this type of divorce is win-win; meaning, the objective is for both spouses to part ways feeling the divorce settlement was fair for both parties. This type of divorce sets the tone for an amicable spilt and better relations when children are involved.
In Divorce Mediation, a specially trained third party mediator facilitates the negotiations. Once a mutually accepted agreement is crafted, the divorce documents are drafted, signed and presented as a basis for an uncontested divorce. If you are contemplating divorce, divorce mediation is a great path to take.
This type of divorce is also known as simple divorce and a no fault divorce. Although, they can be a fault divorce as long as both parties are in agreement. In an uncontested divorce the person being sued for divorce does not fight it; instead, they reach an agreement with the spouse during the proceedings. Generally speaking, uncontested divorces are less costly than other types of divorce involving the hiring of divorce attorneys.
Do It Yourself Divorce
In this type of divorce, legally classified as a Pro Se Divorce, the individual is responsible for filling out and filing all of the required paperwork and forms themselves, without an attorney. This means the divorce petitioner, (the person who files the divorce) will have to educate themselves on the divorce process, learn how to speak legal language and be ready to respond in the correct legal manner, to any issues presented by the court or their spouse. The price range for a Do It Yourself Divorce ranges from $250 to $500 including court costs.