You’re Spending Too Much On Your Divorce. Here’s Why
- Written by Business Daily Media
You probably already spent thousands of dollars on your wedding and now you’re spending thousands more on a divorce. Unfortunately, it seems that someone always has their hand in your pocket and you might think you have no choice but to pay what they’re asking. The good news is that you can make your divorce less expensive but the experts at Simple Divorce Lawyer say you’re likely making some of the following mistakes that are keeping your expenses high.
You Hire a Lawyer Too Quickly
Most couples, if they get along fairly well, don’t have to hire a lawyer until they’re ready to file the divorce paperwork with the courts. But, many people have been conditioned to believe they need a lawyer right away. This just adds to your costs because the lawyer will charge you for things you could have done on your own for free. An uncontested divorce, in which couples work out the terms of their divorce on their own, costs thousands less than contested divorces.
Talk with your spouse about the division of property, health insurance options (who is staying on which plan), alimony and child support, and taxes (filing statuses and dependent deductions). Yes, these are difficult topics to discuss, but if you can do it with a positive frame of mind that you’re going to work together to get these issues solved, you can really save a lot of money.
You Consult Your Lawyer on Everything
Even if you do need to hire a lawyer at the outset of your divorce because you and your spouse are not able to work out the issues on your own, you don’t need to consult your lawyer on every small detail of the process. Lawyers usually charge by the hour, so every 10 minutes you spend on the phone with them will add up quickly. They are always more than happy to discuss your case, but they aren’t doing it out of the goodness of their heart.
Your lawyer should not be your sounding board or your sympathetic ear. They will provide those services for you, but they are charging you for those services. Instead, find a friend you can vent to or if that’s not available to you, there are plenty of divorce support groups you can join that will allow you to get your frustrations off your chest and help you heal at the same time. And most of those are free.
You Procrastinate on Paperwork
When your lawyer advises you that a document needs to be signed or submitted, they know when it needs to be done. If you don’t get it in on time, that can add dollars to your bill. For example, they may have to redraft a document, which they will charge you for. Or you might miss a deadline that your lawyer now has to appeal, which they will charge you for. Staying on top of things and following your lawyer’s advice will save you money in the long run.
Conclusion
You don’t want to spend any more money on your divorce than you absolutely have to. Avoid the mistakes here and you’ll keep some cash in your pocket.
