How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Colorado?
Divorce cost in Colorado is often the biggest concern for divorcing spouses. Although it is difficult to name some exact amounts when answering “How much does a divorce cost in Colorado in each case?”, the cost of divorce in Colorado can probably be very high.
The total divorce cost includes court and attorney fees, payments for filing additional requests, etc. Typically, the fewer disputed divorce issues spouses have, the lower the divorce cost in Colorado will be.
To help you navigate the average cost of divorce in Colorado, we will analyze the expenses of a highly complicated and a simple divorce and discuss whether offline and online divorce costs differ within the state.
If you have already agreed on the divorce terms and are looking for an option to prepare for divorce quickly and budget-friendly, our online service is ready to help you get a set of necessary papers in a few days and at a low price.
Average Cost of a Divorce in Colorado
According to USA Today, the average cost of a divorce in Colorado ranges from $14,500 to $21,700 or more.
If you file for a simple divorce and do not have any disagreements regarding divorce issues with your spouse, the cost of divorce in Colorado will be from $1,000 to $5,000. If you cannot agree on the divorce terms independently and need to involve mediators or lawyers, the divorce cost in Colorado will increase to $10,000-$15,000 and may reach even $30,000.
The average cost of divorce with minor children involved is usually higher due to the necessity to resolve disputes over child custody and maintenance. In addition, you may need to attend family counseling, which will further increase the total divorce cost.
So, answering the question, “How much does it cost to file for divorce in Colorado?”, it is worth noting that the expenses depend on many circumstances: the type of case, the parties’ ability to cooperate, the amount of joint property, etc., which will be considered in detail in the following sections. Regardless of the way you file for divorce, offline and online divorce costs will be approximately the same.
Cost of Uncontested Divorce in Colorado
The average cost of uncontested divorce in Colorado ranges from $500 to $2,500. An uncontested divorce means that you and your spouse have already resolved all divorce issues regarding the division of parental responsibilities and marital property. Filing for a simple divorce allows you to act independently without involving a lawyer, so the total divorce cost can be equal to the mandatory filing fees and amount to only $230-$250.
However, if you have minor children, the cost of uncontested divorce in Colorado may be slightly higher. This increase is explained by the fact that you will need to hire attorneys for representation in court and the creation of a parenting plan on the terms of child custody and maintenance. Additionally, you may have to undergo parenting classes, which will involve extra expenses. The presence of marital property that needs to be evaluated also affects the cost of divorce.
If you submit paperwork for dissolution of marriage through the e-filing system, your online divorce cost won’t differ much from expenses on a traditional process, although you will have to pay an additional fee for an e-filing procedure.
Constantly rising prices increase the cost of marriage dissolution over time. Filing for divorce in a year or two may cost at least $100-$200 more due to the growing attorneys’ and evaluators’ hourly rates and filing fees.
Cost of Contested Divorce in Colorado
The average cost of a contested divorce in Colorado is much higher than an uncontested one and can reach $15,000 or even more.
The high divorce cost in disputed cases is caused by a large number of divorce issues that must be resolved between spouses. They are usually related to child custody, visitation, child or spousal support, and property division. In contrast to a simple divorce, they often require the involvement of lawyers, mediators, professional evaluators, and child custody specialists. The more disagreements the parties have, the more expensive the offline or online divorce cost will be.
The cost of contested divorce in Colorado will increase even more if the judge orders family counseling. Numerous legal battles and the inability to cooperate and agree with the other spouse will greatly affect the total cost of divorce. In addition, the longer the case remains open, the higher the expenses will be because complicated divorces can last for months, and the costs of hiring specialists are constantly increasing.
The only way to save money in such a situation is to agree with the spouse on how the property and parental responsibilities will be divided without third-party involvement.
Average Fees for a Divorce Lawyer in Colorado
The average fees for a divorce lawyer in Colorado can range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the type of case, the number of issues that need to be resolved if the divorce is contested, and the services provided by an attorney.
Most often, divorce lawyer cost is based on their hourly rate, which ranges from $150 to $400 within the state and can be influenced by the lawyer’s experience, the location of an office, etc. Attorney fees can significantly affect the overall divorce cost. If you file for a simple divorce and plan to hire a lawyer, it will most likely not increase the cost of divorce in Colorado much, although you will still face extra expenses. However, if you have a lot of disputed divorce issues, the divorce cost in Colorado can be very high, reaching $10,000-$15,000 or more.
To reduce the offline or online divorce cost for your case, you will need to agree with your spouse on the divorce terms and proceed without hiring a lawyer. Our online service will help you to prepare the necessary papers quickly and inexpensively without extra stress.
Average Filing Fees in Colorado
Average filing fees in Colorado will likely be more or less the same across the state, revolving around $230.
Usually, if you have a simple divorce, your divorce cost will consist mainly of court expenses. Although average filing fees in Colorado do not depend on the type of case, their amount can vary and increase by $50-$150 if you need to file any other requests to resolve contested divorce issues regarding child custody and support or serve the defendant with the required papers. Considering a $12 fee for submitting paperwork through the e-filing system, the online divorce cost will be slightly higher than the offline one.
Factors That Affect the Cost of a Colorado Divorce
The cost of each divorce depends on various circumstances that usually cannot be predicted in advance.
Here are the factors that affect the cost of a Colorado divorce most often:
- Contested or uncontested case. Simple divorce without any disputed issues to resolve with your spouse regarding child-related or property division terms will usually cost less, provided that you do not involve a lawyer and act on your own. Instead, a large number of disagreements will make a simplified procedure impossible, and you will need to hire an attorney to participate in court battles and help you get the desired result. Engaging lawyers may increase your divorce cost by $1,000-$5,000 or more.
- Presence or absence of marital property. A large amount of shared property can be another reason for your divorce to become more expensive. If you can agree on the terms of property division independently, your overall offline or online divorce cost may not increase significantly. However, if you do not cooperate or cannot determine the value of your ownership yourself, you may need to hire not only lawyers but also evaluators, which will make your divorce expenses rise by $1,000-$3,000 or more.
- Involvement or non-involvement of minor children. Cases with kids are often the most expensive ones, especially if you have any disagreements regarding child-related divorce issues. Such situations may require you to hire an attorney and attend family counseling. Uncontested marriage dissolution with minor children involved usually costs $2,000-$3,000 more, while expenses on a contested one can reach from $10,000-$15,000 to $20,000-$25,000.
In addition to the listed factors, the necessity to involve other specialists, their experience, the need to submit more requests to the court, the length of the process, and the number of court hearings can also affect the total cost of a divorce.
How We Can Help You
If you have an uncontested simple divorce, are looking for a way to reduce the overall offline or online divorce cost, and would like to prepare for a dissolution of marriage without a lawyer, you can use our online service. We can complete divorce paperwork for you quickly and reliably, guaranteeing that our budget-friendly price policy will not significantly affect your divorce cost. If you and your spouse have no disputed divorce issues, contact our service to get a set of forms at a low price to file for divorce on your own.