It’s natural to ask how much a divorce will cost when you think your marriage will end. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to that. It is because every divorce process is different, and depending on the circumstances, the final bills will vary widely. Many factors determine the cost of divorce, such as hiring divorce lawyers in Milwaukee or whether you are opting for a contested or uncontested divorce, the law firm you choose, hiring a divorce mediator, and many others.
How much will a divorce cost?
Of course, divorce is expensive, and it does not matter what age you are or what is your marital history. The factors that affect the cost of divorce are mentioned below.
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Charges of divorce lawyers
The hourly rate is the first part of the total bill. A survey was conducted, and it was found that divorce lawyers across the United States charge an average rate of $270 an hour. The rate of divorce lawyers varies from region to region. One out of ten people paid $100 consultation charges an hour, whereas some paid $150- $300, and some paid $400 or more. The survey also showed higher rates for experienced attorneys–no surprise here.
Also, the more complicated the divorce, the more will be the attorney fees. It is because proceedings take a lot of time or if going to trial is necessary to resolve the contested issues. Some lawyers also charge a flat fee, which will help you budget for your divorce case.
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The total cost of divorce lawyers
The hourly rate of a divorce lawyer will simply not tell how many hours you need to go to finalize the bill. In the survey, the person who hired a full-scope divorce lawyer handled the entire case by themselves from start to finish and paid an average fee of $11,500.
You do not always need to hire a divorce lawyer. Divorce mediation will also help reduce the costs if you need to resolve contested issues.
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Other expenses
As mentioned earlier, the cost will go higher if you hire a full-scope attorney. There are other expenses also. You will have to pay for the filling charges and court costs. As per the circumstances, you may also need to pay fees for real estate appraisers, tax advisors, child custody evaluators, etc. In the survey, it was reported that people paid an average of $1,500 for these other expenses.