The Factors That Go Into The Cost Of Getting A Divorce

Posted on: 22 July 2020

Do you need to get a divorce, but worried about how much it is going to cost you? You likely want to know the factors that will determine the final cost of your divorce so that you know what to expect. 

The Willingness To Work Together

There are many factors that go into what a divorce will cost, but the main thing to think about is how willing you are to work with your spouse. The reason that divorces can be long and drawn out is because both people are not willing to come together and reach mutual decisions as part of the divorce proceedings. This can range from small things, such as who will be getting personal property, to large things like who will end up getting child custody. If you are able to work together with your spouse to make joint decisions early on in the divorce process, you'll end up spending a lot less on legal fees.

The problem is that many people get so wrapped up with winning a divorce by getting certain things, and they do not think about what it is costing them in terms of court and legal fees. For example, while it may seem like common sense to split two jointly owned vehicles based on who primarily drives them, someone may feel vindictive and try to claim both during a divorce and cause more problems as a result. 

The Length of Mediation 

The divorce process should mainly take place in mediation. This is used when both spouses cannot come to an agreement about certain things and need to work with a mediator to work it out. The goal is always to reach a decision in mediation because that is when both parties have control over the outcome and can decide on what will be best for them. A long mediation process will ultimately add more to the total costs of the divorce. You can try to work out disagreements outside of mediation, and save only the big issues for when you are working with a mediator. 

The Necessity To Go To Trial

Anything that does not result in a mutual decision during mediation will require going to trial. You should never want to go to trial unless it is absolutely necessary. Not only are there additional legal costs associated with a trial, but there are court costs as well. You could very well end up spending more on trial-related costs to settle a disagreement than you originally anticipated.

If you are still worried about the potential costs of a divorce, make sure to talk to local divorce attorneys in your area as they will be able to provide more accurate detail on your specific situation. 

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