Maryland Divorce ~ Costs of Divorce
The average divorcing couple in the United States will pay an estimated $15,000 to get a divorce. In today’s economy, it is very important to look at divorce options and see which one best fits your wallet.
The cost of divorce can be managed. You can find cheaper options and better decisions. The idea here isn’t to get divorced for as cheap as possible, because sometimes you have to spend money to save money in the long run.
If you and your spouse are unable to make agreements on certain issues involving child support, custody and division of property, you will face divorce court. This is where financial matters spin out of control. Both spouses will need legal representation and hire other experts to assist you in your court proceedings. Attorneys charge per hour and all attorneys have various fees. If you can settle on certain issues and agree on division of property, you will save yourself more money than you can imagine.
Divorce mediation is a great alternative to divorce court. A mediator will be your thirty party with an unbiased opinion that will help you make decisions clearly and work through your divorce. This process is voluntary by both spouses in an effort to keep control of their divorce without attorney involvement. The only costs you face with a mediated divorce are are the cost of your mediator, fees paid to the attorney to review your divorce petition and court costs/filing fees.
Do it yourself divorce means that you represent yourself in your divorce case without the presence of an attorney. You will be responsible for properly filling out all legal forms and documents. The only costs involved here are filing fees and court costs if you represent yourself in divorce court.
Collaborative divorce can be somewhat pricey, but not as much as a regular divorce. In a collaborative divorce you will be paying two attorneys, two collaborative coaches, and a divorce financial specialist. Also a child specialist if children are involved in your case. In a collaborative process you will pay each specialist their hourly rate but there are no court costs or filing fees to pay.
Consider your options and choose what is best for you.