Nobody said that divorce is easy – or cheap. According to some sources, you can expect to pay between $40,000 and $140,000 (or more) if your divorce is litigated. That’s an astronomical figure for the average person.
How, then, do most people afford a divorce when they need one?
They learn to compromise and get an uncontested split
Compromising and working with your spouse when you’re divorcing may sound like an impossible task, but couples manage to do it all the time. They’re usually highly motivated because an uncontested divorce – one where all the terms are decided by the couple through negotiation (and without a judge’s intervention) – only costs between $1,500 and $5,500, on average.
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements can also help
Another way that couples control the potential costs of a divorce is by pre-planning. A prenuptial agreement acquired before marriage or a postnuptial agreement created after tying the knot can effectively limit the potential financial fallout of a divorce in the future.
It’s important to remember, however, that you have to engage in negotiations for these in good faith. If you’re already planning to divorce, it’s too late. However, a postnup can be used to set terms for a split if the couple is giving the marriage a second chance after already experiencing difficulties in their relationship.
Financial issues can be a major source of distress in any divorce, but they’re always likely to be worse when you don’t seek the right legal guidance. Rushed decisions or decisions made from a place of emotion instead of logic, can be very expensive.