Financially preparing for a divorce
It's the busiest time of the year for divorce lawyers. Family law attorney Kelly Chang talks with Tess Vigeland about why so many people seek to end a marriage at this time, the average cost of divorce and what she thinks about pre-nups.
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TEXT OF INTERVIEW
TESS VIGELAND: We've gone a couple of weeks now without hearing about it being the "most wonderful time of the year." So let's get right to the not-so-wonderful part of the year. January is considered the busy season for divorce attorneys. And as the economy returns -- somewhat -- to normal, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers reports an uptick in clients wanting to end their marriages.
Los Angeles family law attorney Kelly Chang is here to talk money, marriage, and the dissolution thereof. Welcome.
KELLY CHANG: Thank you. It's good to be here.
VIGELAND: What is it about this time of year that encourages people to take that first step toward ending a marriage. Were they just hoping to get through the holidays?
CHANG: Yes. There's a lot of that. And it's also the same reason you see long lines at the gym. It's New Year's resolution to be single.
VIGELAND: So much of this is circumstantial based on the individual lifestyle, but what does the average divorce cost?
CHANG: Well, it really depends. If you hire a divorce lawyer, they're going to bill you by the hour. You can do it on your own for relatively cheap. So it really depends. It's kind of like a roof -- you can do it for cheap or you can hire a professional contractor to do it for a lot more.
VIGELAND: Let's talk a little bit about how people can prepare themselves for this happening. What should each party start doing with their finances?
CHANG: Generally, I see in a couple, in a relationship, somebody assumes the total responsibility, leaving the other person in the dark. So if you're the person in the dark, I would get out of the dark. Find the latest statements -- they're mailed the house or you could call the bank. What matters, if you don't have a pre-nup, is what is acquired during the marriage and that includes credit card debt.
VIGELAND: What do you find in terms of the cost for trying to get a settlement between yourselves versus going to court?
CHANG: Much better.
VIGELAND: Court has to be more expensive.
CHANG: Everything costs money, so if it takes up too much time, it's costing too much money. So if you can reach a settlement agreement, do it on your own. It saves money.
VIGELAND: What do you find in terms of couples being able to do that. Is there a ratio of amicable to not amicable divorces?
CHANG: It's interesting. I think in the past few years, I have seen a rise in more amicable behavior in the divorces and it's probably because people can't afford to fight.
VIGELAND: Ah, because of the economy?
CHANG: Correct.
VIGELAND: Because I have a divorce attorney in the studio with me, I do have to ask about your thoughts on pre-nups. Based on your experience with couples going through a divorce, does it help? Does it make things easier or worse?
CHANG: I think it makes things much easier. Get a pre-nup. Marriage is grand. Divorce is twenty grand. Get a pre-nup. Get a pre-nup. I don't care if you don't have anything. You have to come in. If you have a 401(k), half of that could be belonging to your spouse, whatever is accumulated during the marriage. You have to protect yourself.
VIGELAND: Kelly Chang is a family law attorney here in Los Angeles, and we've been talking about January as a big month for, unfortunately, divorces. Thanks for coming in.
CHANG: Thank you, Tess.
