Many people who want to get a divorce become concerned about the potential cost of it. There are factors that influence how much your divorce will cost that range from spousal support fees to the cost of filing paperwork at the courthouse.
The cost to file for divorce in Indiana varies by county. In Lake County, the form “Dissolution of Marriage and Annulment” costs $397.50 to file. Other fees that may also be added include cross-claim or counterclaim petitions, which are $295 to file. Cases including paternity, support and custody may have additional fees of $300 to file those specific documents.
The court fees are just one part of the cost of filing for divorce in Indiana.
What else adds to the cost of divorcing in Indiana?
There are several things that add to the cost of divorcing such as:
- The overall cost of child support, if you have to pay
- The cost of mediation or arbitration, if you use alternative dispute resolution
- The cost of hiring an attorney
- The cost of issuing summons ($10 each)
- The cost of spousal support, if you are ordered to pay
- Fees associated with travel to get to or from court
- Fees to work with professionals such as medical providers or psychologists speaking on behalf of you in your case
- The cost of forensic accounting support
As you can see, these costs do add up. There is also a potential to lose some financial support when you divide your assets and have to consider the cost of living on your own if your spouse contributed to the household costs.
How can you reduce the cost of your divorce?
If you want to reduce the cost of your divorce as much as possible, it’s a good idea to talk to your spouse and handle as many of your disputes and negotiations as possible outside court. If you are able to settle your case outside court, you may be able to save hundreds or thousands of dollars. Your attorney will work with you to try to make this transition as smooth as possible and to guide you through divorce in an efficient way.
