There are many factors that impact the cost of a divorce in California. There is no way to tell the exact amount of how you much will spend on your divorce proceeding. However, on average, a California divorce is about $17,500, while the national average is approximately $15,000. You might pay only the filing fee of $435 or end up in a court battle costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Factors Impacting Divorce
Now that you know the price tag of a California divorce varies depending on the specific facts of your case, you may still be wondering where you and your divorce will land. Although there is no way to know exactly how much your divorce will cost until it is over, there are certain factors that you should know about which can guide you as to how much your divorce will cost.
- Contested or Uncontested Divorce?
Probably the biggest factor that will impact the cost of your divorce is whether it is contested or uncontested. Whether your divorce is contested or uncontested comes down to whether you and your spouse require intervention from a California court to settle major family matters, such as child custody, child support, spousal support, and division of marital assets. In a contested divorce, you and your spouse will each have a Fresno divorce attorney and the sky will be the limit concerning your legal fees. On the other hand, in an uncontested divorce, either you will reach an agreement without an attorney, or if you need one the fees will be minimal.
- Kids or No Kids?
The existence of kids in your marriage can hugely impact your divorcee, regardless of whether you are preparing to engage in a contentious child custody battle. In most cases, having children will make it much more likely that you will end up in a contested divorce proceeding and need court intervention.
- What Divorce Method Will You Choose?
The cost of your California divorce will also largely vary depending on what divorce method you choose.
- Litigation. Litigation is the costliest option because you will have to hire an attorney to represent you and the time the process will take will equal to enormous legal fees.
- Collaborative Divorce. The next most costliest divorce is a collaborative divorce, a method similar to mediation where you and your spouse will engage in negotiation with professional help. This is costlier than mediation because you will need hep from more than one more professional.
- Mediation. The cost of mediation depends on what type of mediator you use to help you with your divorce process. Most cost somewhere between $3,000 and $8,000.
- DIY Divorce. The cheapest way to divorce is a DIY divorce where you only pay the filing fee and do everything else yourself. This may be a good option is you had a short term marriage and do not have any major assets to split or child custody to discuss.
Call an Experienced Fresno Divorce Attorney
If you are in the process of getting a divorce or plan on initiating one, it is important that you have a knowledgeable attorney fighting for your rights. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with a Fresno divorce attorney, please call Gurjit Srai (209) 323-5558 or complete our online form.