How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Maine?

For those considering divorce in Maine, one of the first questions that comes to mind is likely to be how much does a divorce cost in Maine. The financial cost of dissolving a marriage can quickly add up between lawyer fees, filing fees, and other expenses that may arise.

This article will provide an overview of the typical cost of divorce in Maine so that you know what to expect in different scenarios, like uncontested, mediated, and contested divorces.

Whether you plan to handle the divorce without legal representation or anticipate a complex court battle requiring extensive lawyer involvement, it is wise to educate yourself on what makes up the cost of divorce in Maine and how you can lower it. This knowledge can help you budget properly and seek additional assistance if needed. Use the following sections as a guide to factors impacting the overall cost of divorce in Maine and what typical pricing looks like.

Average Cost of a Divorce in Maine

According to recent data, the average cost of a divorce in Maine is $15,000-$20,000 per person when attorney fees are factored into the total. The divorce cost may be around $5,000 for amicable cases solved with legal assistance and around $500-$1,000 without legal help.

It is important to note that the full cost of divorce in Maine can vary dramatically based on whether you have an uncontested and simple divorce or a highly complex one involving intense disputes over assets, child custody, and other divorce issues.

For those able to complete an uncontested divorce in Maine, which is common when both parties agree on the separation of assets and details like child custody, the average cost of a divorce in Maine typically ranges from $4,000 to $5,000 with legal assistance in preparing and reviewing all necessary paperwork.

Uncontested divorces allow both parties to avoid expending resources on lawyers to debate or litigate divorce details in court. Such a position keeps the cost of divorce in Maine to an absolute minimum. Spouses with full-agreement marriage dissolutions can even avoid attorney fees fully by not hiring a lawyer and handling the paperwork and filing themselves. While it may not be a simple endeavor if spouses seek no help, our service is here to assist. You can not only get all the right forms filled out for you but also receive filing instructions to confidently handle the next steps.

Average Fees for a Divorce Lawyer in Maine

The average fees for a divorce lawyer in Maine start at around $200-$300 per hour. Certain complex divorce cases involving high net-worth estates and intense disputes over assets may involve fees of up to $400 per hour or more for highly experienced lawyers from top firms.

It is important to keep in mind that the total cost of divorce in Maine when using a lawyer is cumulative based on the hours billed throughout the case:

  • For a relatively straightforward, uncontested divorce with minimal disagreements, one can expect to spend $2,000-$3,000 in attorney fees to handle document preparation and general counsel.
  • The more divorce issues between spouses relating to child custody, alimony, and division of assets, the more likely fees will escalate. Contested divorces often rack up between $15,000 and $25,000 or more in divorce costs, depending on case length and complexity.

With a simple divorce, when you and your spouse are able to reach a full agreement, there is no need for such high expenses. You can easily handle the paperwork preparation with our trusted service for only $159. Other divorce costs you can expect are court fees, which will likely bring your total spent to under $500. By filing on your own using the guidelines we’ll equip you with, you can minimize the cost of your marriage dissolution while still getting adequate help in the process.

Average Filing Fees in Maine

The average filing fees in Maine for a divorce typically range between $120 and $350, depending on whether the divorce is contested or uncontested.

According to the State of Maine Judicial Branch fee schedule, the filing fee for an uncontested, simple divorce is $120. However, additional fees ranging from $10 to over $200 may apply depending on factors like serving divorce papers on your spouse, court administrative surcharges, and more.

The average filing fees in Maine for contested cases may start at $200 and reach $500 when accounting for extra motion fees, subpoenas, and higher administrative costs.

Overall, you should budget several hundred dollars at minimum for a typical Maine divorce filing fees. The exact total will ultimately depend on the complexity of your case and divorce issues being disputed.

Factors that Affect the Cost of a Maine Divorce

There are several key factors that affect the cost of a Maine divorce, which can significantly influence the overall divorce cost and complexity of the process.

Some of the most impactful factors include:

An uncontested or simple divorce with minimal divorce issues entails much lower fees, starting at $120 for filing if no outside help is used. However, a contested divorce with multiple disputes over property division, child custody, alimony, and more can raise the cost to $20,000 or higher when factoring in extra motions, hearings, mandatory mediations, legal and increased administrative fees.

Cases involving minor children require extra paperwork and potential guardian ad litem costs and could trigger child support disputes down the road. These complications mean both higher court fees and increased lawyer’s fees, with estimates anywhere around $30,000 and more.

Dividing high-value assets like real estate, businesses, retirement accounts, and stock portfolios requires detailed financial disclosures and settlement agreements. The difficulty of partitioning substantial marital property also frequently necessitates hiring divorce lawyers, mediators, and appraisers, contributing to a much higher divorce cost.

If you and your spouse cannot agree on spousal maintenance issues, the court will make decisions according to Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-114. Its relevance, amounts, and duration are determined by factors like both parties’ income, awarded property, financial resources, needs, opportunities, employability, future prospects, etc.

As you can see, a host of itemized factors, including the complexity of divorce issues and the number of assets/accounts impacted, significantly sway what someone filing for divorce in Maine can expect to budget overall. The more complicated the split, the greater the average cost of divorce is.

How We Can Help You

Our online divorce paperwork preparation service aims to help you economize and streamline the often complicated and expensive process of completing your divorce forms and filings. Though we do not offer legal services, advice, or representation, our solution can assist with your DIY divorce to save on potential attorney fees and other major divorce costs. We provide cheap and effective document preparation services for uncontested, simple divorce cases. Our user-friendly questionnaire helps identify the forms you need and fill them out while our filing instructions guide you through the due legal process. Let us minimize the headaches of navigating online divorce costs by taking the complexity out of divorce paperwork.