8 Ways to Reduce the Cost of a Texas Divorce

​A divorce in Texas can be an expensive process, but there are ways to limit the costs involved.  By following the tips below you can help keep costs down.

1. Educate yourself about Texas divorce law.  Your attorney will guide you through the process and give you advice when making decisions, but the more familiar you are with the process the less time the attorney will need to go over everything with you.  I always advise my clients to read up on Texas divorce law as much as possible.  Clients can review legal websites like this one and there are numerous books available discussing the laws in Texas. I don’t expect my clients to know the law and I always explain everything to them, but the more knowledgeable my clients are, the more efficient meetings tend to go.
2. Educate yourself regarding you and your spouses’ assets and debts.  A Texas divorce revolves around the division and allocation of community assets and debts so it is important that I know about all property that the parties own.  There are mechanisms for me to discover all financials accounts and assets but this can sometimes be costly.  If a client has a firm grasp of the parties’ assets and debts it can give me solid direction and save me from having to start from scratch.
3. Organize Documents.  If financial or other documents are needed by your attorney, bringing in a shoe box of miscellaneous receipts and bank statements that your attorney has to comb through is definitely going to cost more than bringing in organized documents arranged by dates or other system.   
4. Control Your Emotions. There’s no doubt that a divorce is an emotionally difficult process, but parties that limit the emotional decision making generally finalize divorces quicker and for less money.   
5. Narrow the areas of conflict.  Determine if you and your spouse can agree on certain items and limit the items that need to be resolved by the attorneys.  
6. Fully participate in mediation.  Trials are an expensive and time consuming method to reaching a divorce resolution.  Mediations allow the parties to save significant money.   
7. Focus on What’s Important.  Often times people end up fighting over property that simply isn’t worth it.  Paying an attorney $300 an hour to argue over a $250 television just isn’t the best use of your resources.   
8. Discuss and be clear with your attorney regarding finances.  Be sure there is clear communication between you and your attorney regarding work being down.  Your attorney should send you routine account statements so you know where you stand.  You don’t want to just be handed a bill at the end of the divorce that is tens of thousands of dollars.