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| Typical costs: | - Divorce attorneys may charge hourly fees of $75-$400, depending on the type of work done, or flat fees varying from $200 for filing a motion to $10,000-$25,000 for handling all aspects of a divorce. If paying an hourly rate, the total can be$20,000-$50,000 or more in complicated, highly emotional cases.
- A retainer is an up-front fee paid to hire an attorney. It's either a percentage of the agreed-upon flat fee or the equivalent of several hours work. A lawyer on an hourly basis deducts that rate from the retainer as the work is done; when the retainer is gone, you are billed for more money. A South Carolina attorney charges a $750 retainer for an uncontested divorce with minimal work and a $5,000 retainer for a contested case with complex issues such as child custody or distribution of property. SideRoad.com gives an overview of attorney's fees and payment arrangements.
- Nolo Press sells detailed do-it-yourself workbooks and kits for $30-$50 for residents of California and Texas who want an out-of-court settlement, and a workbook giving nationwide guidelines and worksheets ($20-$25) for getting organized and avoiding pitfalls. DivorceSupport.com provides a list of state laws and resources.
- Companies such as DivorcesYourself.com and RapidLaw.net offer online paperwork by state for $20-$50 and "full" online divorce services for$150-$250. However, the Illinois State Bar Association warns that there can be problems with this fill-in-the-blank one-size-fits-all approach to divorce.
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| What should be included: | - Divorce Magazine provides state-by-state answers to frequently asked questions about divorce.
- ConsumerReports.com gives an overview of the financial and legal steps to take when considering a divorce.
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| Additional costs: | - Fees for investigators and other experts are not included in the attorney's charges; these can add another $2,000-$7,500 or more, depending on circumstances.
- Your attorney will charge you for time spent answering your questions by phone or e-mail, and for staff time spent making photocopies, doing research or other work related to your case.
- Court filing fees of $75-$350 or arbitration fees of $200-$400 an hour vary by county and state, and are not included in you attorney's charges.
- Divorce has a number of related costs, such as finding a new home, moving, new utility and telephone deposits, childcare, replacing items that were given to the spouse in the division of property and more.
- If you take the do-it-yourself route, be sure the divorce is really done; the LA Times warns that some people who think they're divorced might not be.
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| Shopping for a divorce: | |
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Article updated January 2007 |
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