Average rating:
A divorce can bankrupt both parties with exorbitant attorney's fees, or both parties can have a low cost divorce.

A divorce can bankrupt both parties with exorbitant attorney's fees, or both parties can have a low cost divorce. In some cases, this means getting a quickie divorce that doesn't require any sale of assets or major settlement issues. Other low cost divorces are possible because most of the work of the attorneys can be done at home without that time being billed to divorce lawyers.

Step 1:

Get a quickie divorce if there are no children involved and no home or other large assets that are owned jointly. A quickie divorce is often possible if the marriage didn't last long or it the finances were kept separated. Most divorce attorneys have a quickie divorce package for those who want the paperwork files without a lot of negotiations needed. These often come with a flat rate for a divorce package that is handled by a single divorce attorney working for both parties. 

Step 2:

If the divorce is more complicated than a quickie divorce can handle, negotiate as much as possible before seeking out a divorce attorney. Much of the high cost of a divorce is the many hours that divorce attorneys spend on the negotiation process. To avoid these costs, decide everything from child custody to the division of the home and the items in it before even talking to a divorce attorney. When presented with decisions that have already been made, a divorce lawyer will not have to charge for the same number of hours that lengthy negotiations would cost. This saves anywhere from thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars in divorce attorney fees.

Step 3:

Use the services of a mediator, counselor or other third-party to help in the negotiations if it isn't possible for the couple to negotiate together. In most cases, a non-attorney mediator will be far less expensive per hour than a divorce lawyer.

Step 4:

Use one lawyer if possible. There are divorce attorneys who advise their clients to have one attorney for each party and don't approve of a single attorney for both parties. There are also divorce attorneys who will support the use of a single divorce lawyer for couples who need to keep their divorce costs low. Being able to use one divorce lawyer generally means half the cost of paying for two.

Step 5:

Be willing to compromise. In most cases, neither party will be able to get everything they want from the divorce settlement. If it comes down to negotiations breaking down over who gets the luggage, give up the luggage. Compromising will allow you to save enough money on attorneys fees to buy new luggage. 


Be the First to Comment on this Article