A contentious divorce can cost the parties $15,000 to $30,000, according to Leah Hoffman writing for Forbes.com. Most of that cash enriches attorneys. Court fees can set you back an additional $25,000. If you have marital assets to divide or a dispute over child custody, a cheap divorce might not be the best way to go. But if you and your spouse can work out thorny issues together, rather than relying on lawyers and the courts, you can save thousands of dollars.
Legal Aid
Visit a legal aid clinic, usually affiliated with a law school, to see if you meet its income requirements for free or reduced-priced legal assistance. Ask the clinic for advice on whether you are also eligible for a waiver of court filing fees if you receive public assistance in your jurisdiction.
Online
If you and your spouse can agree on custody and don't have shared debt, you can proceed with setting up your divorce case online for between $249 and $299, as of May 2010. Visit sites such as LegalZoom.com or CompleteCase.com to download divorce kits and legal forms for your state. Complete the forms online, print them out and file them with the appropriate state court. See if your state offers extensive online resources for couples who want to divorce. California's courts, for example, offer a self-help center with forms and instructions for a summary divorce.
Uncontested Divorce
If you can settle the big questions of "children, money and property, you then just need to ask the court, in writing, to grant a divorce," according to the Nolo self-help website. Check the library to find information on uncontested divorce. Nolo publications specialize in legal solutions for families and small business, and many libraries offer its books on how to divorce without a court battle. Use self-help books to fill out your jurisdiction's divorce forms. Or seek out lawyers who advertise low rates for uncontested divorces. Some offer to handle an uncontested divorce for as little as $200; they have reduced their rates as a result of competition from online sites.
Mediation
You'll pay $200 and up per hour for mediation, but you will have to pay for fewer hours because you and spouse can gather the information yourselves. A mediator will help you and your spouse arrive at a separation agreement, which your separate lawyers then can review.
Collaborative Divorce
You and spouse both hire lawyers in a collaborative divorce, but they commit to resolving differences without litigation and thus avoiding some of the expense.
References
- MSNBC: Forbes: Smart ways to save money in a divorce
- Nolo: Divorce: Do You Need a Lawyer?
- Nolo: How to Divorce
- TopConsumerReviews: Online Divorce
- "Detroit News"; Divorcing couples leave out lawyers; Metro Detroit's economy cited for rise in do-it-yourself breakups; Catherine Jun; March 1, 2010
