Texas Divorce 101 – There Are Ways to Afford Divorce!

Getting a divorce in Texas definitely comes with a financial cost that could include paying court fees, hiring an experienced divorce lawyer, and other possible expenses; however, the money aspect should not prevent someone from filing.

That is because the actual cost to retain the services of an attorney can range from mere hundreds of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars depending on what actions you take during the divorce process.

When money is an issue, experienced family law attorneys can help clients find ways to file and complete the process affordably, even if there are financial concerns.

Temporary Orders Can Help Financially

When finances are tight and the added cost of getting a divorce seems prohibitive, one of the first things that a divorce lawyer might recommend is to file and then request temporary orders from the court.

Temporary orders can help a filing spouse if the other spouse controls most of the money in the relationship.

These orders work out temporary decisions on things like living arrangements, child custody, and even finances so that the other spouse receives child support, spousal support, and other funds during the process.

While the orders are only temporary directives during the proceedings and will be formally decided as part of the divorce decree, many divorce attorneys find that temporary orders can help a filing spouse without the financial means to actually start the process and get their necessary divorce underway.

Negotiate More Effectively

One of the main reasons why divorce costs climb higher is disagreement and the inability to effectively negotiate.

Good negotiation requires that both parties be willing to compromise which can lead to a quicker divorce process that can be finalized more easily and amicably.

The more arguing there is and the longer the process takes for family law attorneys and clients to reach agreements with or without litigation, the more expensive the divorce will be.

Avoid Litigation If Possible

Ideally, negotiations made through divorce lawyers, mediation, and some collaborative divorce options can keep the cost of the divorce down for everyone and make it easier to agree on important decisions to present to the courts for finalization.

Unfortunately, this is not always possible and some cases will go to litigation when spouses just cannot agree on things, which in turn raises the cost of the divorce.

The best advice that divorce attorneys can offer is to use one of these alternative options to stay out of court whenever possible to keep costs down.

Finding an experienced family law attorney with the skills and knowledge needed to negotiate the issues without jeopardizing your rights in the divorce and avoiding litigation would be most helpful.

An Affordable Divorce Is Often Possible

Although filing for divorce and going through the process come with a financial cost, divorce lawyers stress that there are times when the benefits of filing now outweigh any perceived savings of waiting to file.

Rather than letting financial concerns delay filing, talk to a knowledgeable divorce attorney who can help you plan the best way to afford a divorce.

Skilled and experienced family law attorneys can help clients deal with a lack of finances and offer viable options for getting a Texas divorce as affordably as possible while still protecting your rights when leaving the relationship.

Stay tuned for the final installment in our informative Divorce 101 series, coming soon!