Is there really such a thing as an easy divorce? For most the answer is , no. The cost of divorce alone is staggering. Legal fees add up fast, especially with time spent in a lawyer’s office haggling over who gets what. No matter where you live or how complicated your separation, if you’re planning on filing for a divorce, consider the cost for filing, court fees and waiting periods before moving forward. These fees and times can vary between states and even cities within a state making the most straightforward divorce messy.
First: Get Residency in Your Chosen State, and Consider the Wait Period
Before you run to a different state to get a cheaper divorce, remember that most states require that you live there for a few months before you can file there. ABC reports that in Vermont, the couple must have at least a year of residency to file and have to have undergone a six-month separation. After a judge grants a divorce there is an additional three-month waiting period before finalization, and you’ll pay $262.50 in court filing fees. In New Hampshire, on the other hand, you can establish residency just by crossing the border, and you can be unhitched in a single day. So, in terms of getting a quick-and-easy split, Bloomberg rates New Hampshire at number one; Alaska (number three) only has a 30-day wait period and no minimum time of residency. Most other states (except Nevada, with a 42-day wait period) make couples wait at least 2-6 (or more) months before a divorce can be finalized. Arkansas requires couples to live apart for 18 months before a divorce can be processed, so move quick if you want to get divorced soon.
Filing Fees
Florida and California residents may want to visit relatives elsewhere during their divorce; filing fees are around or over $400, while South Dakota’s are only $50 (although you won’t save much money with today’s gas prices). Wyoming, D.C., and Virginia only charge around $80. Oregon recently reduced their filing fee from $418 to $260.
Other Roadblocks to an Easy Divorce
Don’t want to pay alimony for your cheating spouse? Better move to Georgia, where adultery is bar to alimony. If you want to get alimony for yourself, you’d better move out of Texas where alimony is hard to come by. Child support is typically 10 times in California what it is in Georgia; child support is regulated by different agencies over certain states.
Worth the Move?
While the hassle (and cost) of relocation may not be worth the buck or two you save on divorce filing fees, the time it takes to split can be worth the move.
