Is An Annulment Cheaper Than A Divorce?

An annulment is utilized by couples to render a marriage invalid. It is essentially a legal procedure that makes it appear that you and your partner should not have been married in the first place. The average annulment will cost between $500-$5,000, according to Costaide. The exact cost can be determined once the agreement has been made by the two spouses. Let’s compare the costs associated with annulments and divorces below.

How Much Does It Cost To Get An Annulment?

As mentioned, exact costs will depend on the agreement you and your-soon-to-be-ex spouse come to ahead of time. For example, the cost would be quite lower if both parties signed a joint petition for annulment than if one spouse is filing it alone. Total expenses can also vary based on location. Each state has its own varying regulations related to this process.

One form of annulling a marriage is related to religion and referred to as an ecclesiastic annulment. This form of annulment can cost up to $1,000 total. Any appeals made by one of the spouses will ultimately cause the price to increase.

Here is a look at typical annulment costs:

• Lowest Cost: $500.
• Average Cost: $1,000.
• Highest Cost: $5,000.

*These are cost estimates. Contact the team at High Desert Family Law Group for more information!

Grounds For An Annulment

An annulment is a legal procedure that ends a marriage that at least one party believes should never have occurred. Although the legal grounds for annulment vary according to state, they typically include the following:

• One or both spouses may have been coerced or duped into marriage.
• One or both spouses were unable to marry due to a mental disability, drugs, or alcohol.
• One or both spouses were already married at the time of the marriage (bigamy).
• One or both spouses were under the marriage age.
• This union was incestuous.
• One spouse attempted to conceal a serious issue, such as substance abuse or a criminal record. One is a child, while the other is an illness.

An annulment is far less common than divorces, owing to the fact that one of these conditions must be met and established in court before it can be granted.

Both types of divorce can be time consuming and costly in the courtroom. And they both begin with the filing of a formal divorce or annulment petition with the court by one or both spouses.

If both parties agree to end the marriage without major disagreements or disagreements over how to do so, either a divorce or an annulment can be straightforward and inexpensive.

How Much Does A Divorce Cost?

$20,000 is the average cost of a divorce in Arizona with a lawyer with costs ranging from as little as $10,000 to $100,000 per party but if you can get divorced without the use of a lawyer the total drops to just $577.

Lawyers in AZ can cost as much as $550 per hour. The cost to file a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage Maricopa County is $349.  The responding party will be required to pay $279 when filing their Response, or if both parties have agreed to a Consent Decree, the $279 is still due and owing from the other party when they respond.

Divorces can vary widely on costs depending on the kind of divorce you want to pursue. While there are no specific rates, averages from the past can give an indication. Undoubtedly, a contested divorce with protracted proceedings will be more costly than an uncontested divorce. While no set rates apply here, it is possible to estimate cost based on historical averages of similar divorce cases.

Normally people do not spend in excess of $10,00 per person. There are always additional costs people do not often think about. Those that go to trial will have additional financial burdens for child custody evaluations, depositions, maybe a business appraiser as well as forensic accountants. The parents may have to attend a Parental Information program and if a private divorce mediator is utilized there will also be additional costs.

• Lowest Cost: $10,000.
• Average Cost: $20,000.
• Highest Cost: $100,000.

When Should You Annul vs Divorce?

Due to the brief duration, many believe that a very brief marriage can be annulled. However, a brief duration does not constitute a legal ground for annulment. The marriage must still meet one or more of the conditions listed above in order to be annulled.

Additionally, a long-term marriage may be ineligible for annulment. Many states will not grant an annulment after a certain period of time has passed. For example, in California, an annulment based on fraud must be requested within four years of the fraud’s discovery (one partner alleges that the other deceived them into agreeing to the marriage).

An annulment may be sought immediately following the conclusion of a marriage. In some states, however, a couple must be married or in a committed relationship for a specified period of time (typically one or two years) before filing for divorce. In some states, both parties must live apart for a specified period of time before filing for divorce.

Contact the team at High Desert Family Law Group for more information!