It is a common knowledge that in the United States 35 to 50 percent of the first-time marriages end in divorce. The likelihood of second marriages divorcing stands at 60 percent and it rises up to 70 percent among marriages made following the second.
As people say, the cost of breaking a marriage may be high but the knowledge of how much the cost of divorce entails can give you an idea of what to expect.
The state of North Carolina belongs to those, which are named no-fault divorce states, just as California, states https://ocfamilylawanddivorce.com/, this is to say that you only need to be living separately over a year to receive a divorce. North Carolina has no set fees to divorce with all of this dependent on various factors that influence the divorce; some of the factors include contested divorce or otherwise and the complexity of the case as well as hiring a lawyer or not.
Until we come to the actual averages, we can consider average divorce costs in North Carolina and what influences them:
Court Filing Fees
Such costs will be required in starting the legal proceedings involving divorce within the state. When you are in need of the cheap divorce attorneys in North Carolina, you should know about the court filing fees. The cost that you will have to part with depends on the county in which you choose to be filing your divorce document. Usually filing of a case costs approximately 150 to 180 dollars in North Carolina. Consider how much these fees will cost you when you are planning to go through your divorce.
You can call the county where you want to file for divorce on the office of the Clerk of Court. they will give you the latest information on the amount to be paid as well as all other requirements to file a divorce in that particular county.
Retainer Fees of Attorney
When obtaining an attorney to preside over your divorce in the state of North Carolina, you should expect to have paid an advance fee in the form of a retainer. This is the type of fee charged and it is a retainer that the attorney can charge against his expenses and hourly rate. Depending on the experience of the attorney, his or her reputation, and the nature of your case, the amount of money that you may have to pay as a retainer may vary.
The average retainer charge of divorce lawyer in North Carolina is between 2,500 to 5,000.
The retainer fees may run up to more than 10,000 in cases where both parties are involved in high-asset or high-conflict divorce. When signing retainer fee agreements with your attorney, verbally discuss retainer fees with him/her to ensure a clear understanding of the fees.
Spousal support Alimony
Spousal support, also referred to as alimony, consists of a payment which one spouse makes to another so as to give financial support to the latter after divorce. In North Carolina, the alimony can be granted according to the length of marriage of the marriage, level of living created in the course of marriage as well as financial conditions of both spouses.
Not all divorce grants alimony and generally mode of granting alimony is at the discretion of the court. Alimony is meant to ensure that the two spouses will have the opportunity of living at the same standards as they had lived in marriage. Alimony may be paid in large or limited amounts, and over a short time or a long time period, depending on the circumstances of the case under consideration.
Alimony is calculated on factors like the earning potential of the spouse, sacrifices made either by the spouse or in the career, and the need of financial support.
Remuneration requirements Child Support
Child support is another area where the laws of North Carolina contain guidelines that apply in computing the amount of money which one parent will be required to part with to support his child financially. The factors that the court takes into account are the number of children, how much each of the parents earns and needs of the child to determine amount of reasonableness and fairness of child support.
North Carolina legislation requires substantial contributions of both parents to the financial well-being of the child disregarding the prevalence of custody. The custodial parent is expected to receive child support payments by the other parent who is not custodial although he/ she does so to ensure that the child gets its normal needs. Child support assistance is used to provide basic needs such as food, accommodation, clothing and education and is meant to ensure that the child continues with that standard within the setting of the separated family.
The non-admission of child support may lead to the enforcement of the court, through such steps as the garnishment of salaries, withdrawal of driving permits, and the loss of liberty. Meet your Child Support obligations so that your child will be brought up and you may not get into legal trouble in North Carolina.
Costs of Divorce Property Split
With regards to property division, there exist quite a number of costs that you need to know about. Fees paid to an attorney may also depend on the property you have and the degree of litigation between you and your wife.
The next cost that should be considered is the price of establishing the value of what you both have shared, real estate, car, investments, personal objects. There is the need to ensure equitable distribution of assets by way of appraisals.
Failure to reach an agreement through negotiating or the use of mediation technique between you and your spouse means you will have to bear the expenses of adjudicating the division of property claim through the court of law.
Conclusion
In general, the divorce price in North Carolina may change depending on a number of factors. These are some financial repercussions that need to be thought well before getting into a divorce.
It is advisable to seek the help of a legal expert to get all the details on the costs which are involved and make a wise decision.
