How to Understand Divorce Mediation Fees
Video Transcript
Divorce mediation typically costs about $100–$300 per hour, and many couples spend roughly $2,000–$8,000 total depending on complexity and location. Fees vary based on the mediator’s experience, session length, whether attorneys are involved, and any added costs for drafting agreements or filing paperwork. This article breaks down common fee structures, factors that raise or lower the bill, ways to reduce costs, and questions to ask before you hire a mediator.
Ray Hrdlicka – Host – Attorneys.Media
You’ve mentioned a couple of costs of that. Is it just based upon hours and that’s how it, it’s not based upon any sliding scale with the assets, it’s just based upon your hourly rate, is that correct?
Bill Leininger – Divorce Mediation Attorney – Staten Island, New York
It’s unethical in all 50 states in America for a divorce attorney to have a percentage basis based upon the assets. We would all have loved that if that was permissible. We’d have million-dollar mansions but it’s unethical and so, no, that’s never affected.
It’s basically the time of the mediator, the price that the real estate appraiser charges, the price that the pension actuary charges for the report of the cop’s pension, for example. It’s just that there’s no percentage of the asset.