10 Ways to Save Money On Your Divorce

There is no way you can go around the emotional trauma or even the practical problems of a failing marriage. However if there are means of cutting the financial expenses associated with divorce, you should definitely explore them - despite the urge to hurry up and get over with it all. Here are ten ways to save money on your divorce and cut down the costs.

1. Do your own investigation.
   
   Nobody has as easy access to your spouse’s daily documents as you do. So before you make your decision to get a divorce known to your spouse, go through his/her documents to discover sources of income or saving accounts other than the ones you jointly hold. You could look through records left lying around the house, mentions of financial affairs in to-do lists or day-planners or evidence in trash cans. Perhaps he/she has retirement plans with former employers or investments in a separate account you know nothing of. Even if you are unable to find all the answers, at least you’ll know enough to tell your lawyer where to look, thus saving on the cost of a private investigator.
   
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2. Calculate child support.
   
   In USA, each state has its own child support guidelines. These guidelines take into account different factors like income of both parents, parenting schedule to determine how often the kid can see each parent, child care as well as medical expenses while determining the quantum of child support. While child support guidelines are not absolute law, courts usually consider them the default position with deviations being granted only under special circumstances. Calculating child support according to your state guidelines will allow you to estimate a figure and see if you need to reprioritize.
    
3. Get an appraisal on the house/business.
   
   If you or your spouse owns a house, investment property or business, get a professional appraisal on these assets. The actual value might be more than you assume. Also if your spouse has an ownership interest or a partnership share in a larger venture, its value just might make up a substantial portion of the marital estate, whether or not it is profit-making business at present. Gathering up-to-date information of such assets might enable you to get a larger share of alimony or support from your spouse, thus cutting down your final costs of divorce.
   
   
    
4. Look at do-it-yourself options.
   
   Some states in USA, notably California, have provisions for separating couples to file their own divorce. This is especially suitable for couples with minimum complications like a short marriage, absence of children or few assets. If you fall into this group, see if your county Bar Association has a pro se division where you could ask for help with the legal paperwork. Do-it-yourself options are gaining popularity as they are ideal ways of saving on time and money while going through a divorce.
    
5. Ask the secretary first.
   
   Staff bills are calculated at a cheaper rate than attorney bills and sometimes the staff may even oblige you with minor information for free. So if you wish to know whether your lawyer has received your fax or whether there has been any progress on the case, it could be cheaper to speak to the secretary rather than to the lawyer, who in any case will have to consult his staff on the paperwork.
    
6. Talk to the right person.
   
   A divorce is a hugely complicated network of emotional, financial and legal issues and you should know whom to consult when. Often couples make the mistake of looking at their divorce lawyer as a legal, psychological and financial expert – all rolled in one. This can be a major stumbling block in attaining a successfully negotiated settlement. Rather decide whose services you need at a particular point of time. You might want to see a therapist to sort out your emotions and be mentally strong to fight the case. A financial expert on the other hand would prove invaluable in giving you correct estimates of your income from a lump sum deal, a pension or regular payments. A lawyer is of course necessary to go through the actual legal process of a divorce. Hiring the services of the right person at the right time rather than keep paying all the three over the divorce process would make all forms of advice more meaningful as well as cost effective.
    
7. Look through online resources.
   
   There are several websites like divorce.com, divorceonline.com and completecase.com which may help you save money by providing information which is actually free but attract service fees when acquired through lawyers. Such sites may also allow you to download state-specific forms and online divorce kits without shelling out money at all or perhaps only a fraction of the charge you may have spent if obtaining them through attorneys.
    
8. Explore mediation.
   
   Couples who broadly agree on various aspects of their divorce can also look at mediation. This option involves hiring a mediator who is trained in conflict resolution and family law to oversee negotiations on financial and custodial arrangement. While a mediator’s hourly rates may not be less than that of a lawyer, couples usually spend much less time with a mediator since both agree to do most of the information gathering and sharing. This significantly reduces the number of hours for which a mediator’s services are hired and hence cuts down on his/her fees as well.
    
9. Have the paperwork ready.
   
   Lawyers charge by the number of hours you spend with them. So don’t go about looking for documents and thinking of questions to ask while your lawyer waits for you and in the process racks up his/her billable hours. Meeting with a lawyer after you have completed all your paperwork and gathered background information will make your appointments shorter and cheaper.
    
10. Come clean.
    
    If you are unlucky enough to be stuck in a bitter divorce case where you and your spouse are represented by different lawyers, the best thing would be to communicate as honestly and promptly as possible. Disclose your assets, provide all necessary documents and answer any questions put to you. This way, your lawyer will not be left with much to do and the case can move to a swifter end.

Today getting a divorce is a hugely expensive affair. Matrimonial law work, court fees and private investigation can all rack up divorce costs, not to mention alimony, child support or division of assets that the court may order. Estimates on the average cost of divorce in USA range from $15000 to $30000, according to an online Forbes article on msnbc.com1. However there are ways and means that one can employ to cut costs on a divorce and refrain from breaking the bank.

References:

1.    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15753189/