Law Office of Vincent C. Machroli, P.C.
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Oak Park IL divorce attorneyOne of the first questions most people have when they find themselves beginning to look into the possibility of divorce is how much the divorce process will cost. One of the well-known facts about divorce is that it is not cheap. According to a recent article in USA Today, the average cost of a divorce ranges from $8,400 to $17,500, when all factors are accounted for, so clearly, there is no one price tag that you can put on every divorce. The actual final cost of your divorce will end up being based on a variety of factors, with one of the biggest factors being the cost of your divorce lawyer.

Factors Affecting the Cost of a Divorce

One of the basic factors that affects the cost of a divorce is simply where you live. In states and cities with higher costs of living, the cost of getting a divorce is likely to be higher. In states that have a lower-than-average cost of living, the cost of getting a divorce is also likely to be lower. Some of the other factors that can affect the cost of your divorce include:

  • Your attorney’s hourly fees. One of the biggest contributors to the cost will be the amount you pay to your attorney. The majority of people who get divorced hire a lawyer, as they can assist you greatly throughout the process. USA Today reported recently that the average rate for a divorce lawyer is $270 per hour.


Oak Park, IL family law attorney gray divorce

A “gray divorce” is a term used when referring to a couple that gets divorced later in life, typically when they are over the age of 50. Perhaps they were waiting until their children were grown and out of the house, or an extramarital affair caused the split. Regardless of the reasons for the marriage ending, these older spouses will have to make some important decisions regarding their divorce settlement in order to move forward into the next chapter of their lives. One of the major issues with a “gray divorce” is that there can be more assets, and larger assets, to divide, which can cause conflict between spouses. Certain high-value assets can be more problematic when trying to determine which of these assets are marital property and subject to division. Also, often there is the emotional aspect of becoming single again after perhaps decades of marriage to deal with. 

Important Issues to Consider

Every marriage is different, and therefore every divorce is likely to have its own unique issues. Even if spouses are amicable and mutually agree to legally end their marriage, they may find the legal process quite challenging. In many “gray divorce” cases, it can be difficult for one party to think about starting over, moving into a new house, and/or finding employment after years of raising children and not working outside of the home. Here are some of the main elements that typically need to be addressed in a “gray divorce”: 


Oak Park family law attorney divorce


Alleviating the Stress of the Situation 



Oak Park divorce attorney parenting time


Parenting Time 



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Legally Recognizing Parentage 


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