Divorce is one of the most financially consequential events a person can go through. The legal fees and court costs get most of the attention, but they rarely tell the full story. From filing a petition to splitting retirement accounts to maintaining two households where there was once one, the total price tag of ending a marriage often far exceeds what people anticipate at the outset.

State-by-State Costs

According to Martindale-Nolo Research, the average cost of a divorce in the United States is $11,300, with a median of $7,000. However, these figures do not reflect a wide range of outcomes. For divorces that go to full litigation, costs can reach much higher. State laws govern filing fees, waiting periods, mandatory mediation requirements, and how marital assets are divided. Each of these variables carries a price.

In 2025, most state filing fees range from $70 to $435. That figure alone can differ by hundreds of dollars depending on where a couple lives. California has a $435 filing fee, with attorney fees averaging $13,800 for contested cases. Texas has a $300 average filing fee, with attorney costs running approximately $12,400. New York’s filing fee averages $335, with legal fees that can reach $13,500.

Long-Term Financial Impact

The out-of-pocket costs of divorce are high. The long-term financial impact is often more significant. A Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis analysis found that in 2022, women saw their income fall by 9% following a divorce, while men experienced a 17% decrease, with the steepest losses for men occurring in their 30s. Retirement savings take a particular hit. Researchers at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College found that the share of households at risk of a lower retirement living standard is 7 percentage points higher for those with a history of divorce than for comparable households with no prior divorce.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.