Divorce Cost Estimator
Example: Attorney hourly rate: 300 $ · Estimated attorney hours: 30 hours · Court filing fees: 350 $ · Mediation cost: 2000 $ · Contested factor (1 = amicable): 1.5
| Estimated total cost | $15,850 |
| Attorney fees | $13,500 |
| Filing + mediation | $2,350 |
Worked example
Take a $300-an-hour attorney and 30 expected hours of work. At an amicable level the base is $9,000, but at a some-disagreement 1.5x factor that becomes $13,500 in attorney fees. Add a $350 filing fee and $2,000 of mediation and the divorce totals about $15,850. If the case escalated to a contested 2.5x fight, the attorney share alone would jump to $22,500 — which is exactly why keeping matters out of court is the single biggest cost saver.
Frequently asked questions
Why does being contested matter so much?
Nearly every extra dollar in a divorce is attorney time. A contested case multiplies hours through discovery, motions, negotiations, and possibly a trial. Two spouses who agree on the major terms and use mediation can spend a fraction of what a courtroom battle costs, which is why the contested factor is the dominant input here.
Is mediation cheaper than litigation?
Almost always. Mediation uses a neutral third party to help you settle without each side running up separate litigation bills. It is one reason many couples set the contested factor low and budget a modest mediation cost rather than open-ended attorney hours.
Do both spouses need their own lawyer?
Not always. In an uncontested divorce, one spouse may hire an attorney to draft documents the other reviews. In a contested case each side typically retains counsel, which roughly doubles the attorney cost — model that by raising the hours or the contested factor.
What are typical filing fees?
Court filing fees for a divorce petition vary by state and county, commonly in the low hundreds of dollars, with fee waivers available for low income. They are a small, fixed part of the total compared with attorney time.