The divorce mediation cost is typically based on a per-hour or session structure, though the former is more common. If you get mediation from a community agency, then it won’t cost as much and you may not get charged at all. Mediation ordered by the court are usually free. The cost of mediation varies depending on how many sessions are required. All the necessary information needs to be gathered, and both sides need to agree on all the issues. The faster this can be completed, the less mediation will cost. What you can count on however is that it will be far less expensive than going to court.

A divorce mediator could charge anywhere between one-hundred dollars per-hour and thousands per-hour. However, you can expect the cost to be in the $100-$300 per-hour range on average. Before mediation sessions take place, both sides will meet with the mediator to discuss which issues need to be agreed upon. A fee will charged for this meeting as well.

As mentioned, the amount of mediation sessions depends on the complexity of the divorce and how quickly a fair agreement can be reached. However, most cases require 3-5 sessions lasting a few hours. These sessions occur over a 1-2 month period, though could take longer.

So if your case does need between 3-5 sessions and you are paying $200 per hour, then you can expect to pay between $1200-$2000 for the mediation sessions. This assumes that each session lasts for 2 hours. Rarely will a divorce mediation cost be more than $5000 total.

Now, keep in mind that there are other costs on top of mediation. If you have a legal expert draw up the paperwork, then expect to pay another $500-$1500. There also will be filing fees as well. Overall, the average cost for going the mediation route is around $3000.

This figure is miniscule compared to a divorce that is contested and goes to court; the two sides in these cases can expect to pay up to 10 times more than what mediation would cost.

Let’s not forget the cost of divorce also refers to all stress, anxiety, and emotional pain that one may experience. Mediation is far less mentally and emotionally draining, and easier for children to deal with as well.

Put simply, regardless of how much divorce mediation costs you, it’s far less than hiring a lawyer and going to court.