Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Self.
According to the Institute for Family Studies, the rate of divorce is at its lowest in 50 years, with 14.9 of every 1,000 marriages in the U.S. ending in divorce and the average marriage length increasing from 19 years in 2010 to 19.8 years in 2019.
However, despite these signs that divorces are decreasing, more than 746,000 divorces were still filed across the U.S., costing those involved not just their marriages and relationships but thousands of dollars in fees and, in many cases, debt. This leaves many needing to manage personal finances, credit and debt, let alone embark on a new life.
The cost of divorce can be spread into various parts, fees, legal representation, and (where applicable) settlements and alimony. However, while settlements and alimony can vary wildly in cases, lawyer fees and court costs are far more common but far less reported.
To help you understand the average cost of getting a divorce, we have analyzed various sources for every state plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Following is a list of the combined (legal fees and representation) costs of filing for a divorce in each state, starting with the most expensive.
1. California
Fees and lawyer average: $14,435
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $19,639
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $12,948
2. New York
Fees and lawyer average: $13,835
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $18,853
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $12,401
3. Texas
Fees and lawyer average: $12,792
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $17,456
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $11,446
4. Connecticut
Fees and lawyer average: $12,360
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $16,820
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $11,086
5. New Jersey
Fees and lawyer average: $12,300
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $16,760
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $11,026
6. Massachusetts
Fees and lawyer average: $12,200
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $16,660
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $10,926
7. Delaware
Fees and lawyer average: $12,165
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $16,625
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $10,891
8. Virginia
Fees and lawyer average: $11,584
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $15,858
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $10,363
9. Georgia
Fees and lawyer average: $11,400
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $15,488
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $10,232
10. Colorado
Fees and lawyer average: $11,230
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $15,318
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $10,062
11. Pennsylvania
Fees and lawyer average: $11,202
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $15,290
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $10,034
12. Maryland
Fees and lawyer average: $11,165
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $15,253
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,997
13. Utah
Fees and lawyer average: $10,725
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,590
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,621
14. Florida
Fees and lawyer average: $10,409
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,126
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,347
15. Alabama
Fees and lawyer average: $10,400
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,117
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,338
16. Puerto Rico
Fees and lawyer average: $10,400
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,117
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,338
17. Rhode Island
Fees and lawyer average: $10,400
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,117
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,338
18. Illinois
Fees and lawyer average: $10,334
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,051
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,272
19. Washington
Fees and lawyer average: $10,314
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,031
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,252
20. Oregon
Fees and lawyer average: $10,301
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,018
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,239
21. Alaska
Fees and lawyer average: $10,288
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,042
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,188
22. Arizona
Fees and lawyer average: $10,280
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $13,997
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,218
23. Nevada
Fees and lawyer average: $10,258
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $14,016
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,155
24. Michigan
Fees and lawyer average: $10,215
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $13,972
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,113
25. Louisiana
Fees and lawyer average: $10,200
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $13,917
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,138
26. Missouri
Fees and lawyer average: $10,184
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $13,950
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,072
27. South Carolina
Fees and lawyer average: $10,150
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $13,867
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,088
28. North Carolina
Fees and lawyer average: $10,113
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $13,867
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,013
29. District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.)
Fees and lawyer average: $10,080
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $13,797
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $9,018
30. Tennessee
Fees and lawyer average: $9,722
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $13,290
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,676
31. New Hampshire
Fees and lawyer average: $9,400
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $12,745
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,444
32. Minnesota
Fees and lawyer average: $9,365
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $12,710
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,409
33. Ohio
Fees and lawyer average: $9,350
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $12,695
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,394
34. Hawaii
Fees and lawyer average: $9,240
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $12,610
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,259
35. Iowa
Fees and lawyer average: $9,184
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $12,529
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,228
36. Oklahoma
Fees and lawyer average: $9,183
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $12,528
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,227
37. Indiana
Fees and lawyer average: $9,157
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $12,502
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,201
38. Vermont
Fees and lawyer average: $9,090
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $12,435
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,134
39. Wyoming
Fees and lawyer average: $9,085
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $12,430
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $8,129
40. Wisconsin
Fees and lawyer average: $8,690
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,854
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,782
41. South Dakota
Fees and lawyer average: $8,595
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,754
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,692
42. Kansas
Fees and lawyer average: $8,400
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,373
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,550
43. Mississippi
Fees and lawyer average: $8,400
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,373
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,550
44. Idaho
Fees and lawyer average: $8,181
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,180
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,304
45. Arkansas
Fees and lawyer average: $8,165
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,138
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,315
46. Nebraska
Fees and lawyer average: $8,158
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,131
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,308
47. Kentucky
Fees and lawyer average: $8,151
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,124
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,301
48. West Virginia
Fees and lawyer average: $8,134
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,107
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,284
49. Maine
Fees and lawyer average: $8,120
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,093
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,270
50. North Dakota
Fees and lawyer average: $8,080
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $11,053
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $7,230
51. New Mexico
Fees and lawyer average: $6,637
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $9,053
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $5,947
52. Montana
Fees and lawyer average: $6,170
Fees and lawyer (with kids): $8,400
Fees and lawyer (without kids): $5,533
Managing debt during a divorce
Managing your debt can take on a whole new level of complexity to avoid impacting your credit score after a divorce.
While divorce in and of itself isn’t going to ruin your credit, because marital status doesn’t show up on your credit report, the divorce process can impact your finances and ability to keep up with payments as well as other bills.
WIth many married couples, spouses are likely to have accumulated various types of debt during the relationship, often in the form of credit cards, mortgages and other loans.
While some states consider all assets and debts acquired during the marriage as “community property” split 50/50 between the parties, the vast majority work on a legal principle that the name(s) signed as “owning” the debt or asset are responsible for their repayment.
With both of these legal principles in mind, the general rule for managing debt is to try and work with your former partner to pay off any joint debts before advancing through a divorce, using savings or the proceeds from selling joint assets.
However, if that isn’t an option (and even if it is), make sure you have a clear picture of your assets and debts to ensure you’re able to split them equitably, if not equally, during the divorce proceedings.
To learn more about the split of assets and debt in a divorce, view our insights into what happens to your debt after a divorce.
In response to our analysis of divorce costs across the U.S., Lauren Bringle, Accredited Financial Counselor at Self Financial, comments:
“The ending of a marriage can be a sad, time-consuming, and often expensive process. In addition to managing day-to-day life, both parties are also juggling the financial and emotional burdens of a divorce.”
“With so much time and money needed to settle a divorce, other debts may be forgotten or form the bedrock of many time-consuming and expensive disputes. In these cases, try to work with a former partner (or their legal representatives) to equitably pay off any debts picked up during the marriage.”
Methodology & Sources
Data was collected between March 1-5, 2021, from FindLaw and Lawyers.com. Figures with and without children were calculated by extrapolating the national average price increases/decreases in each scenario. Figures shown include court fees (adjusted for when dependents are involved) and average legal representation fees.
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