While it sounds like a myth, about 50% of marriages continue to end in divorce. If you’re going through a divorce in New Jersey, it’s understandable to have questions about how much this process will cost. As it turns out, a few factors can lower or raise the cost of a divorce.
New Jersey court costs
Even when couples agree on all divorce-related terms, they’ll still need to pay a local court in New Jersey. Currently, this state requires a $300 payment in the form of a divorce filing fee. New Jersey law states that a party requesting parenting time or custody must pay an additional $25 Parenting Workshop fee.
Contested vs uncontested
When both people ending a marriage agree on all divorce terms, they’re choosing an uncontested divorce. Divorcing couples typically choose this option when they don’t have shared assets or children together. However, things can change when divorcing couples need to divide time with their children or large sums of money. This situation often results in a contested divorce. A contested divorce involves couples disputing child custody or asset division-related matters. Contested divorces are often more expensive than uncontested ones since the former option requires hiring legal assistance.
Mediation
Divorcing couples may also get the assistance they need from mediation. The mediation process benefits couples who can’t agree on divorce terms but don’t want to go through disputes in a courtroom. A mediator’s cost depends on their expertise, experience and similar factors. Most mediators cost at least $100 per hour.
No matter how things are between you and your ex-spouse, it will cost money to complete the divorce process. However, many divorced people feel these costs are worthwhile to get out of unhappy marriages.