By: Valerie E. Anias, Esq.
Potential clients are often concerned with the expense associated with resolving their family disputes. It’s understandable as these matters can accrue substantial legal fees. In this week’s #FamilyFriday article, ERA Law Group, LLC discusses ways you can mitigate your expenses and how we can help!
- Mediation. Mediation is often a less litigious and less expensive means to resolve your dispute. Often families need the assistance of a third party that can help guide the parties, fueled by emotion, towards a resolution. The resolution is ultimately up to the parties but having that guide can be beneficial and save you the time and energy of duking it out in the courtroom. ERA offers mediation services for families that are separating, needing a modification, attempting to develop a parenting plan, drafting a property settlement agreement, and more. Our fees are $250.00 per hour to be split equally among the parties.
- Uncontested Divorce by 12 Month Separation. In those cases where families have been separated for 12 months and are proceeding with their divorce uncontested, ERA offers fixed fee services ranging from $500.00 to $1,500.00. Generally these partners will have a Separation Agreement already settling all disputes but this is not required.
- Uncontested Divorce by Mutual Consent. In these cases, married couples without minor children can get divorced without having to wait a certain period of time. To be divorced by mutual consent, the couple must have settled all issues relating to their marriage. ERA offers fixed fee services to complete the agreement and file the divorce. These range from $2,500 to $3,500 depending upon the amount of marital property.
- Separation Agreements. You and your spouse want to discuss and settle issues related to any joint bank accounts, cars, real property, debt, retirement, and alimony before filing for divorce. Hiring an attorney to draft the settlement agreement to ensure it contains all necessary contract language and covers all potential property disputes is important to make sure you truly have settled all property issues. Additionally, sometimes parties think they’re on the same page only to learn that they’re not. Discussing these issues initially allows for a smooth settlement and divorce. ERA fixed fees range from $2,000 to $3,000.
- Parenting Plans. Parenting Plans encourage parents to focus on the needs of their children, how best to co-parent, and how to anticipate and/or address the various changes in their lives at the time of its creation and in the future. It also allows the parties to decide what is in the best interest of their children rather than leaving it up to a Judge. Often the Judgment of Absolute Divorce is silent on many issues which results in parties having to come back to Court for future modifications. A well-drafted Parenting Plan can resolve many, if not all, of these issues. More importantly, it allows parents to come together as parents – not as spouses. They may no longer be spouses but they will always be parents. ERA fixed fees range from $1,500 to $3,500.
- Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements. Marriage is both a romantic and business relationship. With very few exceptions nearly everything is or becomes marital. As such, nearly everything can become subject of costly litigation in the event of divorce or death. A well drafted and all-inclusive pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement will limit many of these issues. For example, the agreement will identify what is and is not marital property, each parties’ rights in the event of death or divorce, predetermine rights and obligations for spousal support, inheritance, and more. In addition, the agreement will have a complete financial disclosure including each spouses’ assets, liabilities, and income. ERA’s fixed fees range from $2,500 to $5,000.
Call ERA Law Group, LLC today and schedule a free 30-minute consultation regarding your family related matter at (410) 919-1790.