How Much Does A Divorce Lawyer Cost?

Each divorce is unique and can differ in many different ways from other divorces. In fact, divorces are rarely ever the same process for everyone.

One thing that can be unique is whether or not you hire a divorce attorney. There are people who opt to go the DIY route in a divorce. Either they feel they don’t need an attorney or that one might be too expensive. And, for some people, that can work.

Most people going through a divorce, however, decide to hire an attorney to represent them. Having someone to be on your side, look out for your best interests, and negotiate on your behalf, can end up saving you a lot of money and stress.

But useful as they are, the service of a divorce can also get a little expensive. But exactly how much does a divorce lawyer cost?

Below you’ll find some helpful information so you’ll get an idea of how much hiring one might cost you.

Key Takeaways:

• Cost Variation in Divorce Attorneys: The cost of a divorce attorney varies widely, influenced by the complexity of the divorce, the attorney’s experience, and location.
• Average Costs in the U.S.: On average, divorce costs in the United States range from $10,000 to $15,000, with attorney fees averaging $220 to $250 per hour.
• Factors Affecting Attorney Fees: Key factors that affect attorney fees include the number of contested issues, such as child custody and asset division.
• Ways to Lower Costs: Reducing costs is possible by resolving some issues before involving attorneys and choosing a less experienced or smaller firm.
• Risk of Not Hiring an Attorney: Not hiring an attorney in complex cases might lead to higher costs in the long run, despite initial savings.

How Much Does A Divorce Lawyer Cost?

We started by saying every divorce is different. Well, that goes for the cost of a divorce attorney too. So it’s hard to tell exactly how much a divorce lawyer might cost you. However, we can give you some averages so you have some ballpark numbers.  

In the United States, the average overall cost of a divorce ranges from $10,000 to $15,000. But the range can be from just $100 to well over $20,000.

Divorce lawyers generally do not charge flat fees. So the complexity of your divorce will ultimately determine how much your attorney’s fees will be. What you can expect a divorce lawyer to charge is somewhere between $220 to $250 per hour, on average. 

Some divorce lawyer rates can go up to $300 to $325 per hour. Especially in some of the bigger cities in the country. Their services can get that expensive if it is a high-end case where the spouses have a lot of issues to negotiate over such as children and assets. 

If that sounds high, do not worry. It is possible to find divorce attorneys with lower fees. You can find some who charge more in the range of $175 to $200 per hour.

Factors That Affect The Overall Cost of a Divorce Lawyer

As we mentioned before, there are factors that will affect the rates of a divorce lawyer. The big one is how many issues are present in the case.

Often contested divorce costs more. These issues that may arise during a contested divorce include:

• Child custody
• Child support
• Alimony or spousal support
• Assets and debts
• Property

The more of these issues that need to be worked out, the more time your divorce attorney will put into the case and the higher your fees will be.

Other factors that affect divorce lawyers’ costs are the experience level of the attorney, whether they’re at a big firm or small firm, and where in the U.S. you live.

How to Lower Your Costs

If you’re looking for ways to save on the cost of a divorce attorney, one way to do that is for you and your spouse attempt to resolve some issues before hiring an attorney. This may not be easy. But, the more you can agree on before lawyers are involved, the less time your attorneys will have to put into the case.

Also, as we said up top, it is not a requirement that you hire a divorce attorney. But, especially if you and your spouse don’t agree on much, not hiring an attorney may cost you more in the long run.