Divorce Lawyer: Can I Afford the Fees?

When you face the task of divorcing from your spouse, money is always going to be an issue. While you may have plenty of it as a married couple, in the absence of a pre-nuptial agreement, you may be looking at a drastic cut in income after the separation. As such, you may be wondering if you can truly afford to hire a divorce lawyer.

The first step in answering this question is learning how much the services of an attorney cost in your area. The cost is going to vary tremendously depending on your demographic. To figure this, start calling. Sometimes attorneys are not interested in sharing their costs over the phone, but they will usually offer a free or low-cost consultation to discuss your case and give you a quote. This also gives you the chance to get to know them and determine if they are a good fit for your needs.

Your chosen divorce lawyer may offer flat fee services. If they do, make sure you ask exactly what is entailed with this fee. If your case becomes complicated or requires extra days in court, you could end up with a larger bill than you anticipated. To ensure there are no surprises, ask upfront.

Keep in mind that you will not have to pay for all of the services upfront. This means you have some time to save your money. Most attorneys will require a retainer to secure their services. Then, you will either have the flat fee amount to pay or an hourly charge based on how much time the office spends on your case.

Keep in mind that any additional responsibilities you give to your attorney will cause your costs to go up. For instance, if you approach your attorney asking for the price for a simple separation, and then later ask them to fight for alimony or child support payments for you, the cost will increase. This additional job was not in the original quote. If your case is challenged by your spouse, the cost will increase, because your lawyer will need to spend additional time in court fighting for you.

Once you have an idea about the approximate cost, you can ask whether or not the divorce lawyer offers a payment or installment plan. Some will, some will not. If you cannot afford the fees and no payment plan is available, you may have to walk away. However, if an installment plan is available, you can afford an attorney with a simple low monthly payment.

When all is said and done you are the only one who can determine whether or not you can afford a divorce lawyer. Before you decide not to pay for one, make sure you understand what is at stake. If there are children in your marriage, you may lose your custody or the right to visit them. If there is a large sum of money or valuable property on the table, you could lose your rights to it. If you have cases such as these in your marriage, you will be far better served with professional legal help on your side.