Keeping the cost of divorce down is essential towards achieving post-divorce financial recovery. For this reason, it’s important to hire affordable divorce lawyers who can help navigate the legal process in an efficient and effective manner. The more efficient the attorney is at preparing for the divorce and anticipating opposing counsel’s moves, the less costly the divorce will be.
Setting Priorities and Staying Flexible
Divorce means dividing up everything from time with the children, to who gets the artwork within the home. Choosing which battles to fight, and which to avoid, can save a considerable amount of time and money. These priorities should reflect the impact they will have on an individual’s life, or the lives of the marriage’s children. They should never be chosen out of emotion. Priorities based on emotional wants and desires can quickly cause the cost of a divorce to soar.
Planning and Organization Keeps Costs Down
One of the largest expenses within the divorce process stems from the collection of information. Having accurate bank statements, records of assets, lists of debt, income statements, etc., can ease these expenses. The less time that needs to be spent on researching pertinent facts, the less money will be spent. For this reason, it is best to compile as much information as possible prior to filing for divorce.
In addition to organizing information, it’s imperative to plan a strategy for the divorce. This includes considerations for everything from living arrangements to counseling sessions. The more planning that is put into the divorce before it begins, the less impact the divorce will have on an individual’s budget and post-divorce finances.
Remember, Equitable Does Not Mean Fair
Illinois divides assets based on an equation that divides the assets equitably between the divorcing spouses. This does not mean that it is an even 50/50 split. For this reason, it is important to be prepared to give and take when going into the divorce process. Again, determine which assets are worth fighting for, and which assets can be let go.
Mediation and Negotiation Ease Tension and Reduce Costs
Mediating and negotiating are essential to keeping divorce costs down. An affordable divorce lawyer knows how to foresee potential conflict and anticipate it before it flares up. This reduces tensions and the potential for contentious legal proceedings. Moreover, mediating and negotiating reduce the stress on individuals and any children that may affected by the divorce.
