While the cost of divorce by state varies, the reality is that divorces can be expensive. You must make sure you can understand and afford the fees that your attorney is charging.
Divorce costs can often be hard to predict upfront because your attorney may not always know exactly how long your case is going to take or how complicated the proceedings will become. Still, you should ask for as much insight as possible into what you’ll have to pay.
In some cases, attorneys can help you through a simple divorce for a flat fee. For example, if you are pursuing an uncontested divorce in Georgia and have all of the issues worked out and just need someone to handle the paperwork for you, you may be able to find a top Atlanta divorce lawyer who will prepare your documents for a set charge.
In most cases, though, you can expect your attorney to charge an hourly fee and you may have to pay a retainer, which essentially means you pay a deposit to cover the first portion of the work the lawyer is going to do for you.
If you are concerned about affording your lawyer’s fees, your attorney may be able to help you explore options like petitioning the court to make your high-earning spouse cover the costs. Some also offer payment plans.