If you are facing a divorce, you might be worried about the entire process’s financial cost. Your fears are justified because when emotions run high, and things get out of hand, a divorce can have a devastating effect on your finances.
A 2019 survey conducted by Nolo found that Americans spent an average of $7,500 in divorce attorney cost. And this is only the average amount paid by a single party, not the couple.
Fortunately, a divorce case doesn’t have to be this costly. There are lots of things you can do to keep the fee at a minimum. In this post, we discuss simple tips that can help you save on legal costs during a divorce.
1. Hire the right attorney
Typically, the amount of money you spend on your divorce case can be significantly minimized if you hire the right attorney. Take time to conduct thorough research and choose an experienced family attorney who is attentive and interested in your situation.
Make sure the attorney is willing to listen to your needs and evaluate your situation exhaustively so you can know the magnitude of the case. With the right information, you will know what you need to do to reduce the amount of time required in litigating the case.
An attorney who understands your situation will hold your hand and guide you through each process while protecting your rights and serving your interests. When both of you are reading from the same script, everything flows smoothly, which may save you a lot of money in the long run.
2. Be honest with your attorney
Don’t surprise your attorney with new details about your case in the courtroom. It won’t help you and will only drive the divorce attorney cost up. If you are not honest with your lawyer, he/she will spend a lot of time uncovering facts hence driving up your bill because most attorneys charge an hourly rate.
Ensure you are not covering any facts, including those that are not favorable to you. In fact, hiding facts will not only drive your bill up but also give your partner an advantage over you.
Usually, whatever issues you have maybe resolved quite easily on the front-end if you are honest. However, trying to sweep some issues under the carpet will only complicate the process and make things difficult for you.
3. Don’t choose the cheapest attorney
You may be surprised why we are warning you against choosing a cheap attorney, yet we want you to keep the legal fee at minimal. Although it might sound strange, it is actually a mistake to think that you will save money by hiring an attorney who charges a small fee or offers a flat rate.
In most cases, such an attorney may have just graduated from law school and lack experience. Let them get their experience elsewhere, not with your case!
Keep in mind that your primary objective is to get a reasonable settlement. To accomplish this, you need to work with an experienced attorney who might cost a little more but will save you a lot of money when the case is finally settled.
4. Go for uncontested divorce
A divorce doesn’t have to be adversarial. If you and your partner are in good terms and can agree on sticky issues of the divorce, you can avoid litigation, which is the most expensive. If your goal is to walk out of the union peacefully without inflicting as much emotional and financial pain as possible, mediation or collaboration is the best option.
Once you have agreed on all the sticky matters, such as child custody, an attorney will only come in to ratify your agreement and witness the signing of the divorce papers. This process is not only cheap but also consumes much less time. On average, couples spend $4,100 on divorce if there are no major contested issues.
5. Don’t use your attorney as a therapist
Your divorce attorney is your legal representative, not your emotions and stress sounding board! Therefore, you should only call him/her when necessary. If you develop a habit of calling or texting your attorney every time you feel down or when your ex-spouse does something that angers you, you will only be increasing the cost of your case.
If you find it hard to cope with the emotional stress of your divorce, make sure you hire a good therapist and let your healthcare insurance pay the bill. Leave your emotional baggage out of the legal process, and everything will work just fine.
Are you or loved one struggling with a divorce case? Legal Giant can help you. We are a team of experienced divorce attorneys willing to provide you with efficient and aggressive legal representation that puts your best interests before anything else. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation and case review with one of our divorce attorneys.
