There are multiple things that may concern you about divorce. Of course, the process can be very emotionally stressful. However, divorce can often end up being very expensive, as well.

Many times people do not focus on the monetary aspect of divorce, at risk of sounding callous. However, the expense can be quite high, and it is important to keep your budget in mind. According to Forbes Magazine, a collaborative divorce may help decrease the cost of divorce.

What is a collaborative divorce?

A collaborative divorce is one that takes place outside of the courtroom. Trial divorces tend to be far more expensive than collaborative divorces as a consequence of the number of legal personnel involved with the process. In a collaborative divorce, each party will have their own lawyer, but these two lawyers are the only ones involved.

Collaborative divorces take place in a conference room where both parties and their lawyers agree on the various aspects of divorce, including property division and child support if applicable. The process is often far easier both monetarily and emotionally.

How else can I save?

Even if you are going the trial divorce route, there are options to save money. In fact, most lawyers spend tons of billable hours on figuring out the finances of their clients prior to divorce. Coming to a lawyer with your finances arranged in all of your assets fully documented will make the process go far smoother and since it will take less of your lawyer’s time, you will save money.

Keeping communications concise also helps. Remember that talking on the phone is part of billable hours, so it is in your best financial interest to keep communications short and sweet.