When looking into potential divorce, one subject always comes to mind, and that is cost. Money difficulties can be both the catalyst for a divorce as well as a hurdle during the proceedings, however there are ways to keep some of those expenses from climbing.
To start, it is important to do as much research on the laws of the area as well as who the right attorney is for each person’s circumstances. Knowing as much as you can about the divorce process can keep you from asking too many questions, which will inevitably increase your bill.
Although it may be ironic, the key to keeping a divorce both economical and uncomplicated is to foster good communication with your ex. This could mean mutual agreement on appraisers or agreeing on the value of various assets. When getting property appraised, if the couple can agree to an appraiser that means one split bill. Without an agreement, each person will pay their own way as well as the extra fees for those appraisers testifying in court.
There is also the issue of deciding how much money each person earns and what potential support could look like. Agreeing to the earning capacities for each person can save the costs associated with vocational assessments, which may cost over $1,000 just for the report. The assessment could be used by a court to determine whether to impute income to an under earning spouse.
Co-parenting is another way to keep yourself from unnecessarily increasing your divorce costs. When the divorcing couples discuss child placement, it is important to be as specific as possible. If parents have good communication, they will spend less time using their attorneys to communicate with each other. Communication through attorneys is more expensive and time consuming. It is also important to keep in mind that litigating should be a last resort when trying to keep costs down.
In short, divorce might not be pleasant, but clients that are able to work cooperatively with their lawyer and their spouse will be in the best position to avoid an expensive divorce.
