I'm a divorce lawyer – how to save thousands when splitting from your partner

SPLITTING with a partner is never easy and the bill for divorcing can add pressure on top.

The cost of ending a marriage can run into thousands of pounds – but there are ways to save money according to a divorce lawyer.

Caroline Burstein from law firm Thackray Williams says that if you end up heading to court it could cost as much as £60,000.

However mediation before it gets to this point could drastically reduce the divorce bill.

She said: “A court fight that goes to the final hearing can cost parties around £50,000 to £60,000, but if couples choose a much less adversarial route like mediation, then they can cost more like £5,000."

Nearly half of Caroline's cases go to mediation and that number is rising.

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"There has been a change over the past few years with more and more couples looking to save money on their divorce," she said.

"Most people quite rightly don’t want to throw money at lawyers and want to avoid going to court at all costs.

"I actively encourage couples to take this route as it saves them a fortune while preserving any relationship they may have left.”

How much does divorce cost?

How much a divorce costs depends on how you do it.

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The bare minimum is £593 if you decide to do everything yourself and that's the fee for filing for divorce.

But a DIY divorce means you have to settle everything between you directly, including splitting finances which can be complicated.

You don't want to miss out on your share, for instance, pensions are little-thought about in splits but are a major asset.

Typically this affects women more than men as they are more likely to take on childcare responsibilities, leaving them worse off in retirement.

Plus, if you have children this can make the situation more fraught and getting legal help can ensure both partners are fairly represented.

If you have a lot of disagreements and the divorce is less than amicable you'll likely have to pay for legal advice to work through things.

The same goes for if you have very complicated financial matters to settle and then costs can really add up.

Though far less likely for most of us, some high profile splits can run into the millions.

But between both extremes of DIY and final court hearings, there's mediation, though you'll still need to check this suits you and your circumstances.

What is mediation and how do I get it?

Using mediation services can help keep settlements out of court.

It can help you agree on matters like money and children and some lawyers are also trained as mediators, though they can't give legal advice in these sessions.

A mediators should be able to tell you whether the service is suitable for you or not, according to the government's Money Helper website.

In fact a mediation session is now mandatory in England and Wales before you apply to court, with some exceptions, including in situations of domestic violence.

Caroline says: “I have seen mediators get the most amazing results when I thought it wasn’t possible because the parties refused to engage.

"When it works, which is a lot of the time, the lawyers are presented with a financial settlement that is 90% complete.

"That is saving a lot of money in unnecessary legal fees."

As well as being cheaper than heading to court, if suitable, it could also be quicker.

“The courts are taking up to 18 months between hearings and this means those going through the courts are wracking up even more in legal fees. It’s another reason mediation is becoming more popular,” she adds.

You can find a mediator near you using this tool from the Family Mediation Council.

How much does mediation cost?

You could also get £500 towards the cost of mediation through a recently launched scheme, and legal aid may be available to pay for sessions if you're on a low income, Citizens Advice say.

The exact cost of mediation will depend on your circumstances, and they may offer cheaper prices if you are on a low income, so it's worth asking.

Citizen's Advice recommends asking for quotes from mediators to get the best price, but be aware that the cheapest is not necessarily the best.

If you can agree more between yourselves before going to mediation that can help reduce the cost.

You may also want to seek legal advice on top of mediation so you know your rights.

You can find a a solicitor using the Law Society website.

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Another way to avoid racking up large costs when divorcing is via a pre-nuptial agreement.

Although no one plans on getting divorce, planning ahead can help if things don't work out.

Caroline said: “People don’t think twice about writing a will and they should have the same attitude towards a pre-nup as it could save thousands in the long run."

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