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8 Tips for Reducing the Cost of a Divorce in Texas

You have probably heard that divorce can be a very expensive process. This is made all the more frustrating because, at the time of divorce, you may be in the most difficult financial position you have been in.

Below are some tips to help guide you in reducing the costs of a Texas Divorce.

1.Educate yourself about Law and Assets and Debts

Learn as much as you can about Texas divorce and related issues. The more you know about the process the less money you will spend paying a Texas divorce attorney to educate you.

Research Texas divorce laws, whether through a local law library or the internet. BryanFagan.com is a comprehensive divorce and family law website in Texas. The site features many blog articles that answers questions regarding divorce and family law.

Reading the information on this site will dramatically improve your effectiveness and efficiency in interacting with your lawyer and negotiating with your spouse.

If your spouse handles the finances, you may not know what you own and what you owe. It would therefore be a good idea to:

  1. Obtain a copy of your credit report to ensure that you are aware of all open credit accounts.
  2. If necessary hire an appraiser to appraise personal and real property
  3. Do some investigating to be sure that you are aware of all of your spouse’s accounts.

Financial Checklist[3] Get this FREE download about what you need to know before filing for divorce.

2. Mitigate Conflict

While there has most likely been conflict in your marriage leading you to divorce, do your best to manage your emotions and not escalate the conflict in the divorce.

If you want to keep your money instead of giving it to a lawyer, go to court only as a last resort. Try negotiation, try mediation, try arbitration, try settlement conferences but try not litigate.

You may win at trial, but at what cost? Litigation is destructive, expensive and stressful. Litigate only if you have no other option. Litigation is, unfortunately, necessary in some cases.

There are always case and people that just cannot agree. In such cases that is why there are Judges and Trials.

3. Consider Mediation or arbitration

Going to trial is expensive. While trial is sometimes necessary to resolve disputes, mediation and arbitration are alternatives to court and are almost always less costly. These processes are often quicker, as well, and can be less adversarial and allow for creative solutions that are not possible at trial.

4. Try and Narrow Down Your Disagreements

By getting a list of things you and your spouse agree upon first you may be able to save money and time by only focusing on the areas of disagreement with your divorce lawyer.

5. Control Your Emotions

In divorce, it is easy let your emotions take over and make all of your decisions. This is often a mistake especially if you are only fighting over property.

One example of this I witnessed was when I was in mediation and almost all issues were resolved but the husband and wife were fighting over a $200 kid’s bed. Both parents thought they should have it and would not budge. This argument went on for 3 hours. By time was done both parents could have bought the bed at least 4 times.

Lawyers can help you get past the issues on which you and your ex disagree, but if you are arguing over little things, the cost of the argument will likely be more than the cost of replacing whatever property you think you should have.

6. Do not become penny-wise and pound-foolish.

Example of this can be of this could be if your lawyer advises using a particular mediator because they believe that mediator could get the case settled refusing because you want to use the free mediation services provided by the county.

I have seen this happen a couple times and it has not worked out for the client in that the case did not settle and they ended up paying much more because the case had to go to trial.

Another example is relying on your spouse’s lawyer to do all the work. An opposing counsel has no duty to you and may even have a duty to act to your detriment when it is permissible and to the benefit your spouse who hired the lawyer.

7. Take advantage of your divorce lawyer’s support staff.

You can lower your own legal fees however, by avoiding long telephone conversations and unnecessarily long meetings with your attorney.

When possible speak with your attorney’s legal assistants and other support staff when. They will be able to answer many of you questions as long as your question does not call for legal advice.

Legal assistants can answer questions, direct you where to go for court, look up upcoming events, and schedule you with a time to speak with your attorney. They are an important part of your representation and should be utilized whenever possible.

8. Other Ways to Lawyer your Legal Fees

You can do the “homework” your houston divorce lawyer gives and bring them the documents they request. By doing this your lawyer will not have to research those things on their own and bill you for their time.

You can also take as reasonable a position as possible in negotiations in order to avoid protracted litigation.

Book an appointment with Law Office of Bryan Fagan using SetMore

Ebook

Adobe Stock 62844981[2]If you want to know more about what you can do, CLICK the button below to get your FREE E-book: 16 Steps to Help You Plan & Prepare for Your Texas Divorce

Divorce Wasting Assets[4] If you want to know more about how to prepare, CLICK the button below to get your FREE E-book: 13 Dirty Tricks to Watch Out For in Your Texas Divorce, and How to Counter Them” Today!

Click HERE to download your free Financial Checklist!

Other Articles you may be interested in:

  1. 12 Texas Custody & Conservatorship Battle Tips
  2. 6 Tips for Getting a Free Divorce Consultation
  3. 6 Tips – On How to prepare for a Texas Divorce
  4. 3 Tips on Things You Shouldn’t Do in a Texas Divorce
  5. 15 Quick Tips Regarding Filing for Divorce in Texas
  6. 6 Tips – On How to prepare for a Texas Divorce
  7. Roadmap of Basic Divorce Procedure in Texas
  8. Child Custody Basics in Texas
  9. 6 Mistakes that can Destroy Your Texas Divorce Case
  10. 10 Quick Tips About Parental Visitation
  11. Does it Matter who Files First in a Texas Divorce?
  12. Adding a Deceased Father to a Child’s Birth Certificate
  13. Low Cost and Affordable Divorces, Attorneys, Websites and Divorce Costs in Texas
  14. Will your child be able to receive Social Security Disability Insurance and Child Support after a divorce?
  15. How Much Will My Texas Divorce Cost?

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Contact Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC Today!

At the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, the firm wants to get to know your case before they commit to work with you. They offer all potential clients a no-obligation, free consultation where you can discuss your case under the client-attorney privilege. This means that everything you say will be kept private and the firm will respectfully advise you at no charge. You can learn more about Texas divorce law and get a good idea of how you want to proceed with your case.

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