Pay-As-You-Go Divorce Advice and Coaching

The potential cost of divorce is often one of the top considerations couples have when deciding whether or not to end their marriage. Such concern makes sense because the average cost of a divorce in California is $17,500 per spouse and often much more. This makes flat fee divorce, mediation, and other alternative divorce solutions that are significantly less expensive attractive options.

Some of the factors that affect how much divorce costs include:

  • The complexity of your property and finances.
  • Whether children are involved.
  • Whether the divorce is contested vs. uncontested.

Depending on the circumstance, there are other choices besides hiring a full-service law firm. Most of these options can save money as well as time. At Green Giraffe Legal Services, we provide clients with a variety of alternative divorce options for every price range. All of our offerings include the following:

  1. “Pay-as-you go” services to make it easier for clients to budget. 
  2. All of our final marital settlement agreements are drafted by attorneys.

Most divorce attorneys require initial payments or upfront retainer fees ranging from $5,000 to $7,500. These fees must be replenished as depleted, often bi-monthly.  At Green Giraffe, our team will prepare, file and serve the needed documents for each phase of your divorce. For cases that are a bit more complex, we offer attorney mediation or consultation.  Regardless of a client’s needs, the fees are quoted as a flat fee option which includes all of the work needed to complete the divorce and with no retainer fees. 

Take control of your case

When working with a divorce attorney, clients are charged for:

  1. Every phone call the attorney makes.
  2. Any and all communications they have with any involved parties.
  3. Any time needed to research and produce the best plan for handling a case.
  4. Court readiness and appearances plus preparation, filing, and service of all documents.

On the other hand, while working with one of Green Giraffe’s team members clients will know upfront what the costs will be. The paperwork required is completed expeditiously and filed and served in a timely manner to quickly resolve the legal issues. The overall goal is to keep each client and their spouse out of court, which significantly reduces legal fees.

From filing the Petition for Dissolution packet with the court to signing the final Marital Settlement Agreement, our team guides our clients through every step of the process.  Unique to Green Giraffe is that we are a division of the Buncher Law Firm. So, if a legal question arises that one of our Paralegals cannot respond to, we are able to address it with an attorney. For simple matters, our team can have a quick conversation with an attorney to get an answer to any questions that arise.  For more complex issues, we will quote the cost to set up a meeting to discuss the issues with an attorney or other needed professional.

Getting the help you need

Most of our Green Giraffe clients are couples that have chosen an alternative divorce route that will keep them out of the courtroom.  Litigation with an attorney is both expensive and time-consuming.  The Green Giraffe way provides the help needed by putting our client and their spouse in control.

Family law is very procedural. To that end, we provide guidance as to how to complete the procedures and offer a general understanding of divorce principles.  Our team aims to educate our clients so they can make informed decisions about their future.  A Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure is one of the more complex and confusing steps in a divorce but is essentially part of the roadmap that leads to the final settlement.  Our team understands how to guide clients through this difficulty and prepares the documents for an attorney to review.

When clients have finished the required court paperwork as well as the process of reaching a settlement, the Marital Settlement Agreement is prepared by an attorney.  A paralegal or legal assistant will prepare the Judicial Council forms to file with the Marital Settlement Agreement and will oversee the process of the court approving the paperwork and granting the divorce. 

When individuals have decided it is time to start the divorce process, but money is an issue, a pay as you go or flat fee divorce option is one route that can be taken to keep control of the costs of legal services.  For those with spouses not willing to work with them or for those looking for post-judgment help, our team can discuss unbundled legal options, which are similarly quoted on a pay-as-you-go plan.