According to the “must-see” documentary Divorce Corp, divorce is a $50 billion dollar per year industry with no sign of slowing down. Studying this shocking expose of the inner workings of how divorce is truly a business, shines a light on the appalling waste and shameless collusive practices seen daily in family courts.

And divorce can be a devastating experience personally. Not knowing whom to confide in, what professionals they may need to get advice and counsel from and losing friends and family when sides are taken can affect their self-confidence, self-worth and resiliency.

The average cost of a litigated divorce in the US ranges between $25,000-55,000 with some in the $100,000’s. The cost can bankrupt families drowning in credit card debt and begging for loans from families.

There are many things to consider when you think about how much hiring an employee costs:

• Salary
• Benefits
• Taxes
• Insurance

The majority of businesses provide private health insurance to their employees.

Health insurance, in fact, is the most expensive of all benefits.

Many of these benefits are widely used during extended times of added stress during times of changes in the family: illness, death, moving and divorce.

Depending on what the job responsibilities of an employee entail, absences could greatly impact their work.

It could lead them to neglect their tasks and could also affect other employees’ jobs thus costing the company of potential profits and advancement.

We also need to consider other aspects such as the costs of distractions and mistakes.

They could be present in the body but not in the mind.

Each stage of the divorce process involves contemplation, organization, research, planning, budgeting, strategizing, communicating as well and making life-changing decisions.

The grim facts

The U.S. family court system and the practices of its extended family of professionals are an authoritarian culture that historically pins spouses against each other during the divorce process.

When partners are now seen as adversaries in the eyes of the courts it is no wonder the emotions run high and costs escalate.

The cost of divorce is enormous due to the innate adversarial nature of the court system, the lack of less expensive alternative dispute resolution(mediation) education and the impact it has on the productivity and morale of its victims.