Many people put off moving forward with their separation to the point of divorce because they are concerned about the costs involved in the process. Despite finances being a very stressful aspect, going through a divorce needn’t be as expensive as you may have believed from the media, especially if you can make everything as smooth as possible as you move forwards.
If you are wondering how to save money on your divorce you may want to consider mediation and also looking into paying via set fees to your solicitor.
Firstly, always honestly discuss your financial situation with your choice of family law firm as well as with your spouse (if possible). You shouldn’t hide any assets or lie about any aspects or the process may take longer than possible whilst things are investigated further at a later date.
If you are able to amicably decide on many of the details of your divorce with your ex partner, you could reduce the overall spend on law fees considerably.
If you aren’t able to talk effectively with your ex partner, or where there have been other issues that have removed trust, you may find the help of a mediator useful in order to resolve any disputes in as calm a manner as possible.
Mediation
Mediation is very useful for couples who have children involved as it reduces conflict and is thoroughly encouraged by the courts. It can be much quicker than divorce processes where a mediator is not involved. It is important that you trust your ex partner with regards to their admissions regarding their finances when undertaking mediation, because financial matters are disclosed voluntarily by each party, so you do not want important assets to be omitted. Also, unless your mediator is legally trained in addition to their mediation training, they will not be able to give you legal advice on any matters that arise during sessions. It would be up to you to get legal assistance to gain clarification in these cases, which could increase costs.
If you choose to use a solicitor to negotiate your divorce settlement, it will be more expensive than a DIY divorce or mediation but there are ways that you can help to reduce the costs incurred.
Set Fees
Many family law firms understand the situation that you are in only too well, and have an arrangement whereby you pay a one off fee for a fully solicitor led service from beginning to end to support you on your journey to divorce.
Set fees are usually best for straightforward divorces where both parties agree and not where the divorce is defended or in some way contested, so would not be suitable for those dealing with disputes relating to children or finances or complex cases.
This system of set fees can be a really good way for people to manage their finances with regards to their divorce by taking out the uncertainty and worry over rising costs as time goes on.
There are also certain cases where the Petitioner can ask for the solicitor’s costs and Court fee to be paid by the Respondent, but this is best discussed with your solicitor according to your own personal circumstances.
For those contemplating divorce, it is important to seek advice early on the different approaches available so that they can choose the one best suited to them and their circumstances.