08 Nov Divorce, How Long Can It Possibly Take and How Much Can It Possibly Cost?

There are many situations and life events that will occur throughout a person’s lifetime. Unfortunately, for some people, one of those life events will be a divorce. Regardless of the reasons for your divorce, there are some basic things that you need to know and what to expect when you file for one.

Cost and time are the two biggest factors that you need to consider when filing for a divorce. To make the legal proceedings easier and faster, you could also consider hiring an experienced mediator (maybe from firms such as https://www.miamdirect.co.uk/). Such professionals could help make decisions on matters that you and your spouse are unable to agree upon.

How Much Does a Divorce Cost?

The total cost of your divorce will vary based on the state that you live in and the conditions of your case. For example, it could cost you between $500 and $1,000 for the attorney plus court fees for a basic no-contest divorce. However, some attorneys will include the court fees into their basic fee. If there are children involved, the fees will generally be higher. Most courts will require you to pay a fee for every form that you need to file. Therefore, it can end up becoming very expensive even if there are not children or property involved in the divorce proceedings. In California, the basic application to request a divorce without children or property is around $450 for the initial form. If more circumstances are involved, and additional professionals, such as a paternity attorney, are called to help sort out things like child custody, then more forms and more fees will be required.

What is the Timeframe for Divorce Proceedings?

Most divorces take between six months and one year to become finalized. However, this timeframe may vary depending on the state or county that you live in, as well as the circumstances of your divorce. For example, if there is property or children involved, it could take much longer. If finances are being divided, or spousal support is being sought there is usually a hearing required to discuss the requests and for both parties to be able to come to an agreement. In many cases, the parties involved are unable to come to an agreement and a judge has to intervene and make a judgement to decide what needs to be done. Therefore, this can add to the length of time that it will take to finalize the divorce decree.