We can all put divorce right up there on the tippy top of the list of things we don’t want to pay for, right? Even if you want the divorce itself, you don’t really want to pay the costs associated with it. A joke I hear all the time – especially when I tell random people what I do for a living – is, “You know why divorce is expensive?” And then they chuckle and say, “Because it’s worth it!” While you may agree, at least in part, it’s a little discomfiting to have very little idea of the total … [Read more...]
How expensive is a divorce in Virginia?
How expensive is a divorce in Virginia? “Divorce is expensive.” I know that was certainly my impression, before I started practicing family law, though I can’t tell you now where I heard it first. I can’t tell you, even, what “expensive” means, exactly, because I think it’s probably safe to say that it means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. How much it actually costs is so difficult to say because there are so many different variables that ultimately affect it. Is … [Read more...]
Ballpark Divorce Case Costs
On Wednesday, we talked about ballpark costs in a custody case. Today, we’re going to talk about ballpark costs in a divorce. Luckily for you, estimating costs in a divorce is slightly easier than in a custody case. After all, with divorce, there’s a finish line – when you get divorced. (Custody cases aren’t like that; custody, visitation, and child support can be modified over and over again, provided that there has been a material change in circumstances, until the child turns 18.) There … [Read more...]
Costs in Divorce
One of the first questions people ask about divorce is how much it will cost. I get it, and I've been in your shoes. When I know (or suspect) that something will be fairly expensive, I want to know, before I get too far along, how much I can reasonably expect to pay. Knowing that helps me know whether I can set my heart on having something, or whether I need to steer myself in another direction because it's totally outside the realm of possibility. Divorce is expensive. Right? I mean, we've … [Read more...]
When settlement isn’t settling in Virginia divorce
Use numbers: when settlement isn't settling Mike and Karen are getting a divorce. In Karen’s initial consultation, I discovered that they owned a $300,000 house with $100,000 in equity. They each had 401(k) accounts, earned entirely during the marriage, worth about $125,000 each. They had about $60,000 in savings, and $5,000 in their checking account. They had personal property, too, of course—TVs, computers, kitchen appliances, furniture, and so on. They also each owned cars—he a 2010 Toyota … [Read more...]
How much does Virginia divorce cost and how long will it take?
Everyone has the same basic questions at the beginning of the divorce process. Everyone wants to know how much their case will cost (an exact figure, if possible), and exactly how long it will take to get them from start to finish. I get it. I’ve been through things like this before. I’ve had times where thinking about waiting any time at all to reach my end goal seems unbearable, and I’ve certainly have some sleepless nights where I wondered about all kinds of unforeseen costs that could … [Read more...]
