The emotional upheaval of a divorce is something that a family will have to deal with for many years, but the more immediate effects of splitting up are often financial.  Over the years, couples have discovered many creative ways to cut back on divorce attorneys’ fees, including do-it-yourself divorce, mediation, and even long-term separation.  But these don’t work for everyone.  Your divorce may still require the use of a divorce lawyer, but there are some smart ways to reduce your legal fees.

Many of the standard petitions and divorce agreements can be found on the Internet.  If you and your spouse are agreeable in some areas and not in others, why not try to work out what you can by writing your own agreements.  For example, if you agree on child support but need help from a lawyer in dividing your assets, then write your own child support agreement.  Of course, you should always let your lawyer review any agreement before submitting it to the court, but you will save a lot on divorce attorneys’ fees.

Don’t fall for all the televised legal dramas.  Mediation makes an excellent alternative to lengthy litigation and it is a lot more affordable.  A neutral third-party mediator can meet with you both and help resolve any disputed issues without the expense and stress of litigation.  Find a mediator that you both can agree on, and one who knows family law inside and out.  He or she will work to resolve any conflicts about your assets, custody arrangements or other divorce-related issues while keeping your divorce attorneys fees to a minimum.

Volunteer to be a legal assistant.  Taking some of the work off of your lawyer’s hands can be a great cost-cutting measure, especially when you find out how much an attorney charges for simple things.  Volunteer to make copies, fax documents, deliver agreements, file petitions and gather information whenever possible.  The more of the “grunt work” you take on, the less you will pay in divorce attorneys’ fees.

Find out when you are “on the clock”.  As you may know, divorce lawyers work in billable hours.  At the end of the day, they will look to assign every hour they worked to the appropriate clients.  Make sure you find out up front when you will be billed for their time.  Are quick phone calls included?  What is their minimum increment of time?  Having clarity about this ahead of time may prevent you from using up your billable time on unnecessary conversations.

To learn more about how to cut back on divorce attorneys’ fees, read “Three Easy Ways to Minimize Divorce Attorneys Fees”, by the Marrison Law Firm in Colorado Springs.