Save Money on a Divorce Lawyer

It's no secret, getting a divorce usually isn't cheap. The cost of a divorce lawyer is enormous and getting a divorce sends many individuals into bankruptcy. There are ways to lower the cost of your divorce and to keep divorce lawyer fees to a minimum. If you are in the midst of a divorce, this article may help you to keep some of your cash in your pocket.

• Always provide you attorney will information when requested. Get information to your attorney in a well organized manner. If they have to request it and organize it for you, it's going to cost more in attorney's fees. For example, if you attorney asks for information about your monthly expenses, don't simply send over a stack of bills. Organize the bills, highlight the amounts due, create a cover sheet that shows a break down of all bills and then put all of it into a 3-ring binder. The better organized your information, the easier it is going to be for your attorney to find what they need, when they need it.
• Whenever possible, agree on things with your spouse directly. Remember that you are each paying your lawyer hundred of dollars an hour for their time. Many couples fight over things that aren't worth the divorce attorney's fees to sort them out. If you can agree on selling something and splitting the money, then do it between the two of you, but get it in writing!
• Try not to be petty. You may be angry with you spouse, you may really dislike your spouse, but try to think about YOUR best interests long term. Each time you call your attorney to complain about something your spouse did, money is coming out of your bank account and going into theirs. Avoid your spouses attempts to be petty. Always weigh the long term against your current feelings.
• Call your attorney when necessary, but don't constantly call about small things. Keep a running list of things to talk to your attorney about and ask when you have a regular meeting or call or once your list gets long enough to justify a phone call. This way you can handle many things at once instead of calling multiple times.
• Before meeting with or talking to your attorney, always prepare a list of questions and things you'd like to go over. This will ensure that you don't forget anything and that you are getting your attorney all the information they need to represent you well.
• Make a decision with yourself that you will work to settle your case. Going to trial is expensive - attorney's often raise their rates for court time and trials can drag on for weeks. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way of your long term best interests. Tell your attorney early on that you'd like to settle and work continuously towards that goal.
• Don't try to hide things. It will likely come out anyway and your attorney will have wasted time and money because of your dishonesty.
• Don't use your attorney as a counselor. It can be tempting to vent to them, but remember it's costing you serious money to do so. Use your attorney to settle the financial and legal aspects of your case. If you need emotional help, get that from a counselor, pastor, or trusted friend.
• As difficult as it may be, try to be fair with your ex-spouse. For whatever reason, your marriage has ended and the sooner you can get your divorce out of the way, the sooner you can move on to new things. Not only does your divorce lawyer cost you money, but all the time and emotion that you spend on divorce related issues take away from time when you could be doing other things or making money. Keep your focus on the long term.