Like with many issues concerning divorce, the cost can vary greatly. Much of it depends on the type of divorce you wish to have - whether it be contested or uncontested. If you do it yourself with a Pro Se divorce, it will of course be much cheaper as you are doing most of the work by downloading forms and filling them out yourself. You will usually only need to pay for the filing in that case.

The more issues that need to be resolved such as property division or child custody can certainly add to the cost. The more paperwork needing to be filled out and the more work you require your lawyer to do will add to the bill.

Many divorces are more expensive than you might think - averaging around $15,000, of course they have been known to be much higher as well as lower.

The least expensive type of divorce is the Pro Se or do it yourself divorce. This means you take care of all the forms needed and file yourself. No lawyers are involved and both parties are in agreement to the divorce. This divorce is best for those with a short term marriage, no assets and no children. It can be done though if all issues have been resolved ahead of time. Typically this type of divorce will be in the $250 range for the filing.

Collaborative divorce is not a low cost option but it can be fairer in some respects. You can find two attorneys, mediators, financial specialist, and even a child specialist. It’s considered a holistic approach with the intent to guide the parties to a reasonable and fair decision. Each professional involved will charge their own rates so this type of divorce should be budgeted for. The average price for this type of divorce is around $14,000.

Finally there is Litigated, which is the most costly of the divorces. Each partner hires their own lawyer who handles all the legal needs including paperwork, negotiation and filing of the papers. They represent the couple in court and are responsible for the hiring of any experts needed. If you are able to keep the divorce amicable it could cut down on your costs, but on average this divorce could cost anywhere from $10,000 - $20,000.

If you add in additional costs of alimony and child support the cost of divorce have much longer lasting effect on finances. Divorce is definitely something you should budget for, even if it means having to wait longer to make it official.