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December 22, 2020Divorces can be expensive, especially if the divorcing couple cannot agree on details such as how to split finances, property or children’s living arrangements. You may have seen adverts offering a cheap online divorce but this approach rarely goes smoothly and even though it might seem like the cheapest option initially, you can end up paying out more costs in the long run.
If you are looking for ways to save money on your divorce, here are some tips:
Talk to each other about the divorce grounds
Being in agreement about the grounds for divorce can save a lot of time and costs. So, you should discuss which grounds for divorce is most suitable and try to agree on one of the five accepted grounds for divorce, which are:
- Adultery
- Unreasonable behaviour
- Desertion for more than two years
- Two years’ separation with the other party’s consent
- Five years separation
Try mediation before court
Going to court because you cannot reach agreement on matters will end up costing you significantly more. You should try as hard as possible to come to an agreement before going to court, and mediation often works for couples who do not agree on aspects of the divorce details.
Get a free consultation
Choosing a Divorce family law firm that offers a free consultation will help you to understand what the procedure will involve and how much the divorce will cost, depending on your circumstances. So, before sending the petition for divorce, it is a good idea to talk to a divorce expert for an initial consultation.
Be organised and prepared
By getting prepared by having the right documents for meetings and writing down any questions you may have for your solicitors, you can save time and money, as the more appointments that are required, the more your solicitors’ fees are likely to cost. It is recommended to write up a summary of assets, financial details and anything else that is relevant, to take to your first meeting.
Be upfront about everything with your solicitor
In some cases, people hide information about finances or other details that affect the divorce proceedings from their solicitor, which can then lead to situations where a lot more work is required. By being completely honest and upfront with your solicitor, they will be able to take the most appropriate actions based on the correct details.
Try to have patience
Divorces can take a long time and you might be anxious to get the divorce completed but chasing your solicitor for updates can end up costing you more money if you are charged for their time. Your solicitor should give you an overview of how long each stage will take and what is required from your side, so try to resist the urge to try and get things pushed through faster and be patient.
Select which aspects require legal advice
During divorce proceedings, there may be many details that you can agree between yourselves without the need to have legal advice, so talk to your spouse if possible, to find out what you can agree on and only seek advice on the areas that you are struggling to agree on. This can save you a considerable amount of money as you will be using less time for your legal services.
These seven tips should be able to help to keep costs to a minimum, but the most important challenge is to try and come to amicable agreements on as many details as possible, as it is the disputed areas that will cost you the most in legal fees and court fees.
