Divorce Expense Tracker

An uncontested divorce with no children and minimal assets often costs $500-$2,500 in attorney and filing fees. A contested divorce averages $15,000-$30,000 per spouse nationally and can exceed $100,000 in high-conflict or high-asset cases. Custody disputes and business valuations are the biggest cost drivers.

Attorney fees, court filing fees, mediator fees, custody evaluator and guardian ad litem fees, business or pension valuations, real estate appraisals, therapy or co-parenting counseling, moving costs, and temporary support payments. Many of these are deductible against marital property in equitable-distribution states.

Personal divorce legal fees are generally not deductible. Fees attributable to tax advice, securing taxable alimony (pre-2019 agreements only), or producing taxable income may be deductible, but rules are narrow. Always consult a tax professional.

Use mediation or collaborative divorce, agree on as many issues as possible before involving attorneys, consolidate communications, avoid using attorneys for emotional support, and use shared experts (single appraiser, single custody evaluator) where appropriate.