The total cost of an uncontested divorce can vary depending on various factors including whether children are involved and the types of assets being divided. Typically it depends on how much time will be devoted to finalizing the terms of the divorce and whether additional orders apart from the divorce decree will be required. Typical fees for uncontested divorces in Texas range from $1,000-$1,500.
An uncontested divorce doesn’t just mean that both parties want to get divorced. An uncontested divorce means both parties are in full agreement over all the terms of the divorce. This means both have agreed on child support, visitation, assets, and debt division. A divorce can sometimes appear to be uncontested until a discussion is started about all the details involved in the divorce. Once a discussion begins over all the details of the divorce, it can lead to multiple changes being made to the divorce decree, which can affect the overall price of an uncontested divorce.
Another factor that can affect the cost of an uncontested divorce is the types of orders required apart from the divorce decree itself. For example, while a divorce decree may award one party an asset such as real estate, in order to place title in the name of one of the parties, a separate document called a deed will need to be signed and filed in the real estate records of where the property is located. This can also be true for vehicles, mobile homes and various other types of assets.
If children are involved in the divorce, and one of the parties is obligated to pay child support, a withholding order is regularly prepared. This is a separate order from the divorce decree that directs the employer of the obligor to withhold a certain amount from each paycheck for child support. The employer then sends the child support amount that has been withheld to the State Disbursement Unit where it is forwarded to the custodial parent.
When retirement accounts are going to be divided, this typically also requires a separate order to be prepared. A qualified domestic relations order directs the plan administrator of the retirement plan to divide up the account. This is a special kind of order that is incredibly important to prepare. If this order is not done, even though a divorce decree may award a retirement account to one party, no changes will be made to the retirement account until this order is received.
The cost of an uncontested divorce in Texas is affected by how much time is going to be required to prepare all of the additional orders that may be required as well as ongoing revisions to the divorce decree itself.
