See what you keep from a settlement or property award after attorney fees and costs.
Divorce lawyers generally bill by the hour or by flat fee rather than a percentage, so this calculator is not predicting a contingency fee. Its purpose is to show how much of a settlement or property award is consumed by legal cost, so you can judge whether fighting over an asset is worth it.
Enter the amount you expect to receive, the share of that amount you expect to spend on legal fees (your total fees divided by the amount), and any fixed costs. The result is fee = amount x percent + fixed costs and net = amount minus fee. In an illustrative example, a $150,000 award with fees equal to 8% and $1,500 of fixed costs gives $12,000 + $1,500 = $13,500 in legal cost, leaving $136,500.
A useful rule of thumb is to compare the marginal cost of a dispute with the marginal value. If you would spend $15,000 in extra fees to contest an asset worth $10,000, settling is usually the rational choice even if it feels unfair.
The tool ignores taxes, retirement account transfer costs and any support. Retirement accounts divided by court order can carry tax consequences, so speak to a tax professional and your attorney about the real after-tax value.
Process and Legal Rules
How courts divide assets and debts in divorce. Compare community property and equitable distribution, marital versus separate property and why it changes legal cost.
Hiring and Settling
Compare settling a divorce with going to trial. See how cost, control, timing, privacy and risk differ, and how to decide when a settlement offer is worth accepting.
Fees and Costs
Each spouse normally pays their own divorce lawyer, but courts can order contributions. Learn when fee awards happen, how to ask and what to expect in practice.
