How Much Does It Cost to get Divorced?

As a family law attorney who practices in San Diego where it is fairly expensive to live, one of the first questions a perspective client asks me is, “how much does it cost to get divorced?” The question is legitimate because unless you have gotten divorced or are a family law attorney, you probably do not know what is involved in the divorce process or how much it could cost. When I hear this question, I don’t think that the perspective client wants the cheapest attorney in the city to help them with their matter, because you usually get what you pay for. I think this is more of an educational question both for me and the person asking it. I usually ask the perspective client to tell me about their situation including whether they have children, property, bank accounts, stocks and mutual funds, etc. I then in return educate the person asking me the question, by informing them that unless there are agreements, the court will need to make orders regarding all of the above-mentioned issues. To be completely honest, there is no exact total to tell a client as to how much it will cost to get divorced. Each matter is different and the final cost also depends upon the cooperation of the other party, which is usually difficult to gauge at the onset of a matter. Should it become more complicated as the matter goes on then the costs will increase. Court continuances, hiring specific experts, and a trial, including preparation for the trial will all increase costs. Also, it is extremely important to complete the required documents in a timely manner, which avoids having your attorney continue to contact you about them, which will help cut costs. I am upfront with my clients about the difficulty in assessing the final costs of divorce and explain to them the best ways they can help lower the costs. Remember, the more you cooperate with your attorney, the better the chance it will keep costs down.