Finally coming to the realization that your marriage has broken down is stressful enough without ever having to worry about the financial costs involved in the divorce process. As painful as it might be to acknowledge that your relationship with your spouse is at an end, it’s also important to acknowledge how much the divorce might cost you if not managed properly.
What An NJ Divorce Costs
A married couple, with no children, can expect to pay an average of $15,000 to get divorced. Roughly $12,000 of that total cost is made up of legal fees. If you’re married, but with several dependent children, then the average cost of divorce in New Jersey is in excess of $22,000.
Generally speaking, the more dependent children (those under the age of 18) you have, the more your divorce will cost. Part of this is because you have to pay a Parent Education fee of $25 for each child, but you might also need to pay for psychological evaluations for your kids as part of the divorce proceeding.
The fees above include things like court filing, serving documents, and the mandatory fee of $250 which must be paid to bring a Complaint of Divorce case forward. The overall cost of a successful divorce case in New Jersey is 20% higher than the national average.
Please also bear in mind that the above costs are not a maximum value in either case, simply because there are so many variables to consider in any divorce.
Different Types of Divorce
Mediated
Not all divorces are created equal, and some are far more expensive than others. A mediated divorce for example, is where neither party is contesting the divorce, they’ve agreed to distribute their assets in an equitable manner, and the terms of child custody have been agreed upon. In situations like this a divorce mediator can handle the case for you, but engaging a mediator will still cost you several thousand dollars, so don’t make the mistake of thinking you can hire a mediator for several hundred dollars, or on a pro bono basis.
Fault Vs No Fault
A “no fault” divorce is where both parties agree that their marriage isn’t working out, and that there’s no way they can reconcile. These require less legal intervention to resolve successfully, so therefore are less expensive.
When you cite “Fault” in your divorce filing, then you’re placing the blame for the breakup of the marriage squarely at the feet of your spouse. This happens in cases of physical or mental abuse, substance addiction issues, infidelity or that your spouse has been imprisoned. If abuse can be proven then financial support for the at-fault person might be refused
A Divorce Trial
This is the most expensive option because your attorney will have to invest a lot of their own time, and staff resources, in managing your case. Ideally a trial should be your very last resort, but that’s not always a choice left open to you. A divorce trial can easily take 12 months to resolve, and in most New Jersey divorce cases it actually takes 16 months for a trial of this kind to be completed.
Attorney Costs
Bear in mind that the vast majority of NJ attorneys will charge on an hourly basis, so the more hours they spend dealing with your divorce settlement, the bigger your final bill will be. You can expect your attorney to charge anywhere from $150 to $650 per hour, depending on their level of expertise and availability.
The best place to start any divorce case is by seeking the counsel of a professional divorce attorney. Taking this step can save you a small fortune in unnecessary legal expense.