Going through a divorce can be and usually is very costly. The cases can be complex, so many people need the help of a divorce attorney Suffolk County. This, of course, only adds to the cost. There are ways, however, to reduce the cost of a divorce attorney to some degree.
Consult Several Attorneys
First and foremost, a person should never just hire a divorce attorney and then just sit back and wait for the attorney to handle the case. A person needs to take a hands on approach. The more hands on they are the more money they will save in attorney’s fees. One example of where a person can save money is just on research and paperwork. The more organized a person is the less time the attorney has to spend organizing the information and thus the less they attorney would charge.
Find out the basic process and go ahead and pre-fill out any forms that will be needed in order to file the case. Also, gather up all of the lists of assets, their values, and any statements that are available. A history of statements makes the process even easier for the divorce attorney.
Go ahead and get appraisals of the properties and assets. This is especially important for larger assets like real estate, cars, or any other assets. Do not wait for the attorney to request the appraisals. Chances are the person they use will end up costing more. On top of that, the attorney had to do the hiring so that will always be added to the number of hours used on the case.
Settle Out of Court
Always consider out of court settlements. Factor in the total cost of having to take the case to court. Add up all of the court and legal fees. Then examine the amount that is offered in settlement. It should be pretty easy to see whether it will be worth it or not to pursue the case in court. In most cases, the settlement is by far the better option.
Every second saved means money saved. A majority of the work can be done without an attorney. Just pay the attorney for the heavy lifting. This will make a huge difference in the total cost of the divorce attorney for Suffolk County.
