As this year culminates, spouses are often faced with various choices and dilemmas. In cases where the couple is questioning a divorce filing, they might refrain from filing due to the price tag a divorce is expected to carry. With holiday spending and traveling, it is hard to imagine taking on a divorce that is likely to be long and costly at the end of the year.
However, many spouses are mistaken when it comes to divorce. It is possible to move forward with the divorce process without sacrificing time and coughing up a large sum of money.
The cost of divorce
While it might not be as exciting as funding the purchase of a new vehicle or home, financing a divorce is just as important to plan and prepare for. It is true that some divorces are very costly; however, it is also possible to spend very little on a divorce. Thus, it is important to understand how you can attain an affordable divorce without sacrificing your needs, rights and interests.
Currently, the average divorce can cost you between $15,000 and $20,000; however, the price tag of divorce is relative to where the divorce occurs, whether children are involved, the process used to attain a final divorce agreement and how long the process takes. In other words, a contested divorce with a custody battle that goes to trial will likely be a rather expensive divorce.
Making divorce affordable
A big cost factor with divorces is whether it is contested or uncontested. Thus, if spouses can work together to agree on the terms of property division and child custody, if applicable, they can significantly reduce the cost of divorce.
Litigating a divorce is costly; therefore, other methods to reach agreeable terms can significantly impact the price of divorce. Negotiation, mediation and collaboration could help the divorcing spouses reach a timely agreement. With the aid of attorneys and a neutral party, spouses often feel as though their side is heard and considered while they work to decide on all necessary divorce issues.
While there is no perfect way to divorce or a divorce that is one-size-fits-all, there are methods that are more favorable than others for a divorcing couple. Thus, it is important that you consider your situation and options available, as this will better protect your rights and interests as you move forward with a dissolution.