A divorce process is a costly affair. A good divorce attorney can help the couple to save money and reduce the stress associated with the divorce proceedings. The cost of a divorce is affected by various factors such as the parties’ positions in terms of alimony, custody, child support, etc. The process can be quite lengthy as well. In most cases, the average time taken to complete the entire divorce process is about two to three years. Most of the cost of divorce is related to the lawyer’s fee.
The average cost of divorce in Washington last year was $15,600. Typically, this includes legal fees of the lawyer who will be representing you on your claim. For those who are financially comfortable, the divorce process could be finished within a short period of time and only paying for the cost of the divorce attorneys. Those who do not have the luxury of money for the upfront costs of a divorce process could look into various other options that can help them with the cost of a divorce.
One of the best ways to cut the cost of a divorce process is by using an experienced lawyer who does not charge any retainer fee or hourly fee. An attorney’s rates depend on the type of case he or she is handling, the complexity of the case, the laws governing the case, and the expertise of the lawyer. Some lawyers work on contingency, which means that they charge a lower rate if the case is lost. The contingency fee structure could help many individuals to cut down on the cost of the divorce process.
Many couples do not really expect to have to pay for legal fees until there are too many legal fees to cover the costs of the divorce process. When couples don’t shell out the right amount of money to cover all the divorce attorney’s costs in the beginning, they end up filing for bankruptcy, which can severely affect their credit rating and lead to a ruined future. Divorce can also be quite costly if you do not have any form of pre-filing financial strategies. Some couples start off with low dollar investments and do not save enough money for their attorney’s fees. If this is the case, they might not be able to afford filing taxes and other financial papers that will be required during the filing process.
In order to minimize the legal fees that you will have to pay, it might be a good idea to have everything in writing, including the details of how the assets will be divided. If there are no written provisions about how the assets will be divided, you might be surprised when your spouse tries to take one of your properties. You should have everything prepared before you begin filing so you know exactly what you will need to work with your spouse and their lawyer. You will want to contact your lawyer to discuss how to divide the marital assets and what type of legal fees they will charge.
One thing you should be aware of is that the national average cost for a divorce is significantly higher than the state or county costs. You should gather all of the information you can before you file so you do not have surprises at the last minute. It may be a good idea to contact a number of different divorce attorneys and get an idea of their actual fees before you begin anything. You should try to gather as much information about the divorce process before you get involved so you know what the average cost will be so you do not overspend on legal fees and still have your assets distributed according to the law.