Why You Should Consider Paying Your Spouse's Legal Fees During a Divorce

If you earn significantly more money than your spouse, you may be in the habit of covering some of his or her expenses. This isn't a behavior that should end when you decide to get divorced. If you and your spouse are divorcing, you might think that you should each cover your own legal fees. While this is fine if you earn similar incomes, it's appropriate for you to cover the bill for your spouse if you're the bigger earner. Doing so might seem a little strange, especially if you're not on good terms during the divorce, but here are some reasons to make this choice.

It Demonstrates Good Faith

Covering the cost of your spouse's divorce attorney is a show of good faith on your behalf. This is especially true if you've often handled some of your household's more significant bills over the years; it may not feel right to either of you for you to suddenly stop doing so once you decide to move forward with a divorce. Trying to maintain civility during a divorce is important, especially when you have kids. Pledging to pay for your spouse's legal fees is one way to work toward this goal.

It Reduces the Risk of an Appeal

If your spouse doesn't have a lot of money, he or she may hire a cut-rate attorney. The problem with doing so is that his or her legal representation may be inferior to what you get from a better attorney. In the months ahead, your spouse may decide that he or she didn't get quality legal advice. Once he or she is working and making more money, he or she may decide to hire another attorney to file some appeals to your divorce. The last thing that you want in the future is to have to go to court over the terms of your divorce. Ensuring that your spouse gets a good attorney by covering the bills can lower this risk.

It May Save Money in the Long Run

While you might not initially feel thrilled about paying for your spouse's attorney, you need to consider the cost of not doing so. If he or she were to file an appeal sometime in the future, you'd need to once again hire an attorney to represent you. Depending on the extent of the appeal, you may end up having to spend a considerable amount of money. In this scenario, paying your spouse's bills in the first place may save you money in the long run.

If you're not sure if paying for your spouse's attorney is a good idea, contact a family law firm like The VK Law Firm for advice.