Photo: Paige Cody / UnsplashUnderstanding the process
- Family and estate
How Divorce Works in the US: The Basic Steps
A plain-English overview of filing for divorce, contested versus uncontested cases, property, support and custody.
5 min read - Family and estate
Divorce Legal Advice: First Steps and Common Mistakes to Avoid
General legal guidance for people considering or starting a divorce: documents to gather, protecting finances, children, filing, costs and mistakes that cause problems.
4 min read - Family and estate
Uncontested vs Contested Divorce: Differences, Timeline, Cost and Which One You Have
How uncontested and contested divorces differ, what must be agreed for a simple divorce, typical timelines and costs, what happens if talks fail and how to move toward settlement.
3 min read - Family and estate
Divorce Mediation vs Litigation: Collaborative Divorce, Arbitration and Choosing a Process
Compare divorce mediation, litigation, collaborative divorce and arbitration: how each works, cost, control, privacy, when mediation is not safe and how to prepare.
3 min read - Family and estate
Annulment vs. Divorce: What Is the Difference?
How an annulment treats a marriage as if it never existed, grounds, time limits and how it differs from divorce.
2 min read - Family and estate
Military Divorce: Residency, Pensions and Special Protections
How divorce works when a spouse is in the military, where to file, protections for deployed service members and how retirement pay may be divided.
3 min read
Money and property
- Family and estate
How Much Does a Divorce Cost? Filing Fees, Lawyer Costs and Ways to Lower Them
What a divorce typically costs: court filing fees, lawyer retainers and hourly rates, mediation, experts, hidden costs, fee waivers and practical ways to reduce expenses without giving up protection.
3 min read - Family and estate
Divorce Property Division: Community Property vs. Equitable Distribution
How states divide marital property in divorce, what counts as marital vs. separate property and how debts are handled.
4 min read - Family and estate
Who Gets the House in a Divorce? Options and Considerations
Common ways couples and courts handle the family home in divorce, including selling, buyouts and temporary occupancy for children.
4 min read - Family and estate
Retirement Accounts in Divorce: 401(k)s, Pensions and QDROs
How retirement accounts and pensions are divided in divorce and how a qualified domestic relations order works.
2 min read - Family and estate
Alimony and Spousal Support: Types, Factors and Taxes
How courts decide spousal support, the main types of alimony, how long it lasts and what changed for taxes.
4 min read - Family and estate
Prenuptial Agreements Explained: What They Can and Cannot Do
How prenups work, what they typically cover, what makes one enforceable and when couples might want one.
4 min read
Agreements and getting help
- Legal documents
Separation Agreements: Settling Issues Before or During Divorce
What a separation agreement covers, how it differs from a divorce decree and when couples use one.
3 min read - Legal documents
Postnuptial Agreements: Agreements Signed After the Wedding
What a postnup is, why couples sign one, enforceability and how it compares with a prenuptial agreement.
4 min read - Family and estate
Legal Aid for Divorce and Child Custody: How to Get Free or Low-Cost Help
How to get free or low-cost legal help with divorce, custody and child support, including legal aid priorities, court self-help centers and limited-scope lawyers.
4 min read - Family and estate
Child Custody Basics: Legal vs. Physical Custody
How courts decide custody, the difference between legal and physical custody and how parenting plans and changes work.
4 min read
Frequently asked questions
How much does a divorce cost?
It ranges from low-cost simple filings to tens of thousands of dollars for contested cases.
What is the difference between contested and uncontested?
Uncontested means spouses agree on all issues; contested means at least one issue is disputed.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always, but legal review is wise with children, significant assets or retirement accounts.
How long does divorce take?
From a few months for simple cases to a year or more for contested ones.
Can I get help paying?
Fee waivers and legal aid may be available.