How Much Does Mediation Cost?
The cute answer of course is…it depends. It depends on how complex your agreement is and how long it takes for you and your spouse to come to agreement.
But let me give you a better answer.
We charge by the hour for our time and we try to keep our fees lower than the average at $210 per hour. But to answer the question, the middle 80% of of our clients pay between $2,500 and $3,500 for a completed mediation. An attorney then charges between $1,500 and $2,000 for their work in completing your divorce; filings, court documents, and your court-ready legal settlement agreement.
As a comparison, most attorneys in a non-mediated divorce ask for a minimum retainer of about $5,000...and you and your spouse would each need one. At $600 - 800 (or more) per hour for two attorneys a couple in a contested divorce litigated through the courts can pay $20,000, $50,000, or even $100,000 depending on the nature of their disagreements. We aren’t knocking attorneys as they are essential for some divorces…but they do cost more.