When speaking of the cost of divorce, money is typically the issue at hand, although there are a lot of other costs you might have to pay. Your happiness might be one of those costs, but that can be regained with time. Your mental health might go through the ringer, but that can be regained as well. You might pay the cost of children picking up behavioral problems and you might have to give up some of your finest assets, though you can get help with those, too. What are the monetary costs of divorce?
The Average Divorce
On average, individuals end up paying $15,000 for a divorce in the United States. This amount includes costs for the court, filing fees, attorney fees, hiring experts, determining child custody, getting a home appraisal and other similar services. It’s possible your costs would be less or more than $15,000, and that is often largely determined by how long the divorce process takes.
Contested or Uncontested
An uncontested divorce is going to cost less than a contested divorce, simply by default. There will be more court costs with all the back and forth of a contested divorce, and you will take up more of your lawyer’s time if you contest the divorce. Sometimes this can make a divorce take a significant amount of time longer than it would otherwise, so you might end up paying thousands more dollars.
How the Lawyer Charges
Many divorce lawyers charge by the hour, though there are some who charge differently. One lawyer might charge a fee for every similar divorce case. For example, if the divorce is simple and there are no kids or real estate involved, the divorce might cost a flat fee of $8,000. If there’s real estate and other assets, it might jump to $12,000. If kids are a part of the mix, it might jump to $15,000. The rate wouldn’t go up or down, regardless of what happened and how long the divorce took.
Additional Services Needed
There are all kinds of services that might be required during your divorce. If you have children with your spouse, there would probably be a child custody evaluation that would end up costing money. You might be required by the court to pay for mediation or couples counseling, and there are a wide range of other services that might end up costing you as well.
Getting Your Lawyer Involved
Divorce is never easy, regardless of how amicable it starts out. If you’re about to get divorced and are wondering the cost, it might be best to get your answers from a professional family lawyer in Lake Forest, IL, like from Hurst, Robin & Kay. Contact a divorce lawyer today to get started.