It isn’t a myth: attorney fee’s mount quickly, and can really put you in a bind. There are a few ways on how to save some of your hard-earned money from all going towards your divorce. And what more, you don’t have to sacrifice having good representation. All it takes are a few, simple steps to save your attorney some steps, and in turn, save you some cash.
Be concise with your communications. Your attorney might bill you for any and all communications, so whether you are meeting them, calling them, emailing them, or even beeping them (that’s still a thing), have your message organized and short. If you can prepare a few topics and quick questions, then you can get the help and answers you need in a time-saving manner. More time saved, more money saved.
Fill out an FDS, otherwise known as a Financial Disclosure Statement. FDS allows you to prepare things like bank statements, credit card balances, mortgage statements, post-career account statements and tax returns. By preparing these yourself, it minimizes the amount of information that needs to be collected by your lawyer and their team. Smaller amount = Less work = less money spent!
Settle the basic things with your spouse. Before spending hundreds of dollars disputing who should get the living room rug, or the T.V. in the den, see if you can work out the dividing of personal property before litigating. It makes no sense to spend all that money to fight over relatively insignificant things that you and your spouse could have figured out amongst yourselves for FREE.
All in all, be sure to review and check the bill you receive from your attorney to make sure everything adds up. Most divorce attorneys are very honest and straightforward about billing, and will even work out a billion procedure before you officially retain them, but as always, it’s best to double check yourself.