How Much Does A Texas Divorce Cost?

The average United States divorce costs about $15,000. The average cost of a divorce in Texas is about $12,000. There are many factors that drive the costs up or down:

• If you have to litigate your case, the costs go up;
• The more assets or debts you have, the more expensive it can be (there is more to “fight over”);
• If you have to hire experts, the costs will go up (experts include accountants, an attorney ad litem for children, counselors, or parent facilitators);
• The more cooperative you or your spouse is during the divorce process, the costs will go down.

What Types of Expenses Are Involved in a Typical Texas Divorce?

Filing Fee: The initial filing fee for a divorce is usually around $300. Each county sets their own fees and costs. For instance, as of 2019, the filing fee for a divorce in Tyler, Smith County Texas is $248.00.

Citation: A citation is the legal paperwork that notifies the other party (your soon-to-be ex-spouse) that the divorce case has been filed. The current citation fee is $8.00 in Tyler, Texas.

Service of Process: In order to proceed in a Texas divorce, the citation must be physically served on the other party. This can be done by a private, licensed process server, a sheriff or a constable. Costs vary, but can range from $75 to $100 depending on various factors. Most experienced divorce attorneys have contacts with private process servers.