How Much Does a Port St. Lucie Divorce Cost?

The average financial cost of a marriage dissolution is around $20,000. However, this figure is highly misleading. There’s a big cost difference between Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos’ divorce and an abandonment divorce where the couple has no debts or assets. So, in terms of financial cost, the only honest answer a Port St. Lucie divorce attorney can give is something like “Your divorce will probably cost more than you think it will cost.”

Divorce usually has an emotional cost as well. That’s usually true even if the marriage is clearly over.

Financial Costs of Divorce

The aforementioned $20k figure normally includes direct costs, mostly attorneys’ fees. This amount varies, mostly depending on the complexity of the case. If there are no children or property and the spouses agree on all issues, legal fees will probably be low. But very few divorces fit into this category.

Other direct expenses include filing fees, court costs, and expert witness expenses. Psychologists, real estate appraisers, and other professionals are often necessary, and their time is often expensive.

Most divorces also involve substantial indirect costs. Many spouses must pay child support and/or alimony. Frequently, these Family Support Obligations are quite large, especially if the other spouse has no means of support. Other spouses must quickly come up with a way to pay rent and other living expenses. Such sudden expense increases often create significant financial hardships.

Emotional Costs

Regardless of the circumstances, almost all divorcing spouses grieve. If they do not grieve the loss of a spouse, they grieve over the thought of what could have been possible.

Anxiety is also quite common. Divorce turns normal lives upside-down, creating a great deal of uncertainty where there was once predictability. Typically, divorce is especially hard on older children. And, when older children suffer emotionally, their parents usually suffer as well.

There is no way to accurately place a price tag on costs like these. But there is a way to reduce these costs, as outlined below.

Reducing Costs

Mediation is one of the best ways to reduce the financial and emotional costs of divorce, mostly because mediation saves time.

A third-party mediator, who is usually an unaffiliated Port St. Lucie family law attorney, works with both sides to try and facilitate a settlement. Generally, mediation lasts for a half day or a full day. This process occurs outside a courtroom setting, usually in an office suite. The parties spend most of their time in separate rooms while the mediator conducts shuttle diplomacy.

Mediation reduces legal fees, since most attorneys charge by the hour. Mediation also reduces emotional costs. The sooner the divorce ends, the sooner the spouses can move on with their lives.

If both sides negotiate in good faith, which means they put all their cards on the table and they are willing to make sacrifices to get a deal done, mediation is usually successful.

Contact a Savvy Lawyer

Divorce is expenses, and these expenses can be controlled. For a free consultation with an experienced family law attorney in Port St. Lucie, contact Eighmie Law Firm, P.A. The sooner you call, the sooner we start working for you.

https://www.eighmielawfirm.com/from-green-to-grey-color-changes-in-over-55-divorces/