Uncontested
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How much does a divorce cost?
There is no single "average divorce cost" that describes a real case well: costs cluster at two extremes. A cooperative, uncontested divorce often lands between $500 and $3,000 (mostly the filing fee plus a few attorney hours), while a fully contested divorce with lawyers on both sides commonly reaches $15,000–$30,000+. Mediation sits in between at roughly $3,000–$8,000. Almost nobody pays the middle — which is why a personalized estimate beats any national average.
Uncontested vs contested divorce cost
The initial court filing fee is the same whether your divorce is contested or uncontested — what changes is everything after it. An uncontested divorce means you and your spouse agree on property, support, and (if applicable) custody before anything is filed; a lawyer may only review the paperwork (about 2 hours of work). A contested divorce means at least one issue is disputed, which triggers discovery, motions, hearings, and attorney hours that multiply with every disagreement. Use the calculator above to see both side by side for your state.
How much does a divorce lawyer cost?
Most divorce attorneys bill hourly — typically $250–$500 per hour nationally, higher in major metros — and require an upfront retainer (commonly $3,000–$10,000 for a contested case) that they bill against. For uncontested cases many attorneys offer flat fees, often $500–$2,000. You can adjust both the hourly rate and the retainer in the calculator's assumptions panel.
Divorce mediation cost
Divorce mediators usually charge $150–$400 per hour (often split between spouses), and most couples settle in 2–5 sessions of about 2 hours. Add the court filing fee and 1–2 hours of attorney time to review the final agreement. Mediation is almost always cheaper than litigation — the break-even panel above shows exactly when that stops being true for your numbers.
Divorce cost with kids
Children don't change the filing fee much (a few states add $20–$80), but custody questions are the single biggest cost multiplier: custody evaluations, guardians ad litem, parenting classes, and extra hearings can add $1,000–$5,000+. Tick "minor children" in the calculator to see the effect on contested hours, and check the hidden-cost list for the extras courts commonly order.
How long does a divorce take?
Typical timelines: uncontested 6–16 weeks, mediation 8–26 weeks, contested 6–18 months. Many states also impose a mandatory waiting period (for example, roughly 6 months in California and 60 days in Texas) that sets a floor no path can beat. Court backlogs in your county can add months on top.
Divorce filing fees by state (2026)
Filing fees are the entry ticket — usually the smallest number in a divorce. Figures below are traced to statutes and clerks' published schedules (source: The Cusp, last checked 20 Aug 2026). Several states set fees county-by-county, so a range is shown; the calculator uses the midpoint for planning. Court fees change without notice — confirm with your county clerk before you pay.
| State | Filing fee | How it's set | Notes |
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Can't afford the fee? Nearly every state lets you file in forma pauperis (fee waiver / indigency affidavit) — ask the clerk for the form. See the FAQ.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Uncontested, Texas. Filing fee $375.50 (planning midpoint) + 2 attorney hours × $350 = $1,075.50. Timeline 6–16 weeks plus Texas's ~60-day waiting period. This is the cheapest realistic path when both spouses agree.
Example 2 — Contested, California, kids + home, some disagreement. Filing fee $442.50 + $5,000 retainer + 57 attorney hours × $350 = $25,392.50. At ~52 weeks that's roughly $1,667/month in legal burn — before any hidden costs like a custody evaluation.
How this calculator estimates
Methodology (transparent, verifiable).
Uncontested = state filing fee + attorney hours × hourly rate (+ optional document-prep fee).
Mediation = filing fee + sessions × hours/session × mediator rate + attorney review hours × hourly rate.
Contested = filing fee + retainer + hourly rate × billed hours, where billed hours = (20 base + 12 kids + 6 home + 10 business + 4 retirement) × disagreement multiplier (1.0 / 1.5 / 2.0).
Break-even = (mediation legal cost − retainer) ÷ hourly rate: the billed hours at which litigation overtakes mediation.
Monthly burn = legal fees ÷ (median path weeks ÷ 4.345).
Defaults reflect commonly reported US figures; every assumption is adjustable. Filing-fee source and vintage are cited above. This is an educational model, not a quote — real cases vary enormously with attorney, county, and the other party's conduct.
Mediation = filing fee + sessions × hours/session × mediator rate + attorney review hours × hourly rate.
Contested = filing fee + retainer + hourly rate × billed hours, where billed hours = (20 base + 12 kids + 6 home + 10 business + 4 retirement) × disagreement multiplier (1.0 / 1.5 / 2.0).
Break-even = (mediation legal cost − retainer) ÷ hourly rate: the billed hours at which litigation overtakes mediation.
Monthly burn = legal fees ÷ (median path weeks ÷ 4.345).
Defaults reflect commonly reported US figures; every assumption is adjustable. Filing-fee source and vintage are cited above. This is an educational model, not a quote — real cases vary enormously with attorney, county, and the other party's conduct.