Divorce can be lengthy and costly, and there are numerous factors that play into the cost of divorce, one of which being the state you live in. Georgia tends to be one of the more expensive states. Fortunately, it is not as expensive as California, while divorce in Wyoming is the cheapest.
However, each case is unique. Numerous factors influence the final cost of divorce. While you should know to prepare for some of them, such as attorney’s fees and alimony, there are others that often catch people by surprise. For example, filing the initial paperwork to begin the divorce proceedings will cost a couple hundred dollars right off the bat. By anticipating some of the other unexpected costs of divorce, you can better budget and prepare yourself for the near future.
Contentious issues
A simple way to have a quick, more affordable divorce is if the two spouses can amicably agree on how to divide assets. This generally includes a house, cars and retirement accounts. However, there are other aspects that can draw out the process. For example, there may be a painting involved that has sentimental value to one person and the other party simply wants to fight for it to stick it to the ex. It is vital to take as much emotion as you can out of the divorce equation. Putting up unnecessary fights only leads to more time in court, and the cost increases as a result.
Marital debt
Another cost you could end up with during the divorce proceedings is the other partner’s debt. Any debt accumulated during the marriage, even if it is only in the name of one person, is up for division during a divorce. Therefore, if one spouse racked up a massive amount of credit card debt, then the other spouse could be on the line for paying it off after the marriage ends.
