The Emotional Cost of Divorce

No matter how amicable a couple's split may be, divorce is always going to be an emotional rollercoaster. If you have kids, the emotional cost is likely to be even higher as you try to come to terms with the fact that your family will never be the same again. On top of that, you'll also have to deal with the stress of figuring out parenting times (custody), not to mention the possibility of having to move and start over again. All of this can take a serious toll on your mental health, which means you might need to seek professional help to get through it - which you should do if you are struggling. If you do not take care of your emotional health, it can actually be used against you!

The additional very real emotional cost is also the stress of remaining in limbo, getting ready to go to a trial. It will take a year or more to get to Court to have a judge decide your case. At trial, you are going to have to confront your worst behaviors and will feel beat up. You will have to answer for your angry texts, your behaviors and aspects of your life you would prefer to keep private.

And all of that help is going to cost you—both in terms of money and time.

The Financial Cost of Divorce

In addition to the emotional cost, there's also the very real financial cost of getting divorced. First, there's the lawyer's fee. Depending on how complicated your divorce is, you can expect to pay anywhere from $2,500 to $10,000 for a lawyer—and that's just for starters. Then there are Court costs, like filing fees, process servers, subpoenas and witness fees. If you have assets or property to divide up, you'll need to hire appraisers and other experts who will charge for their services. You might also need to pay for therapy for yourself and/or your kids. Plus, if you have to move out of your current home as a result of the divorce, there are all sorts of associated costs there too (like deposits on a new place, utility hookups, etc.). All told, the average person spends between $15,000 and $30,000 getting divorced if they choose to not work with their soon-to-be-ex to come to agreements—and that's before they even think about dating again!

Or, you can try to agree with your soon to-be-ex so that you have financial resources to start your new life. Fighting is a lot more expensive than negotiating and working out your own terms. In general, the more cooperation there is between the spouses, the less expensive the divorce will be. If the parties are unable to agree on all issues, they may have to go to trial, which can be very costly.

I only take cases where I officially tie up the loose ends and make the end of your relationship official. My prices are lower to reflect that I am not going to go to Court to have a Judge resolve your problems. If you can work with your ex to be fair and reasonable, reach out to my office.