Managing Divorce Costs: Personal Loans vs. Bankruptcy

Divorce is often one of the most significant emotional and financial challenges a person will face. I’ve spent more than two decades litigating divorce cases and have seen the effects of the substantial financial distress. Unfortunately, divorce is one of the top reasons for filing for bankruptcy.

In this post, I will break down the critical issues surrounding divorce financing, specifically comparing personal loans with the potential for bankruptcy relief, and how these options apply to both uncontested and contested cases.

By Alexander Hernandez, J.D., Professor, and Author of Consumer Bankruptcy Law (Routledge).

Updated on October 31, 2025.

The Financial Shock of Divorce

While the focus is often on the legal and emotional aspects, the financial impact of a divorce is immediate and severe, especially when the parties separate. Many people facing divorce end up filing for bankruptcy because the underlying financial structure of their lives has changed so dramatically. A debtor goes from a dual-income household to a single-income household, all while incurring substantial legal expenses.

Uncontested vs. Contested Divorce: A Financial Breakdown

The type of divorce you have is the single biggest factor in determining cost predictability.

• Uncontested Divorce: This is the simpler path where both parties agree on every issue (assets, debts, custody, support). The process is quicker, and legal fees are largely predictable because attorneys can often set a flat fee or a limited scope of work.
• Contested Divorce: This involves litigation, meaning there is no agreement on key issues. You proceed through discovery, mediation, and potentially trial, with a judge ultimately making the final decisions. The total legal fee is difficult to estimate because the process is inherently unpredictable and driven by the complexity of the case and the behavior of both parties.

Option 1: Using a Personal Loan to Cover Fees

For an uncontested divorce, a personal loan can be a sensible, calculated choice because the legal costs are known upfront.

Benefits of a Personal Loan for Predictable Fees:

• Lump Sum Coverage: Provides the full amount needed to cover the agreed-upon legal fees immediately.
• Budgeting Certainty: Features fixed interest rates and fixed payments, which are essential for a newly single household trying to establish a budget.
• Lower Rates: Typically offers lower interest rates compared to high-interest credit cards.
• Unsecured Debt: These loans are often unsecured, meaning you don’t have to put up assets as collateral, a crucial point in divorce proceedings where assets are subject to division.

Professor’s Note: In an uncontested case, the loan can even be split with your spouse and formally incorporated into the final marital settlement agreement. However, note if one attorney is used to save money on fees, the attorney can only represent one of you. Conflicts of interest prevent the divorce attorney from representing both of you.

Personal Loans for Contested Divorces

Using a personal loan for a contested, litigated divorce is risky. Contested cases rely on hourly attorney fees with initial retainers. I tell my clients that predicting the final cost is impossible. Are we going to attend one temporary relief hearing or ten? Will one party be unreasonable and drag out the case? Each new filing or hearing increases the cost.

• The Challenge: You are taking on more debt, the total which is unknown because of the hourly attorney fees while adjusting to a new financial situation.
• Other Options: For contested cases, it is often financially safer to seek immediate spousal support or temporary attorney’s fees, rather than immediately incurring tens of thousands of dollars in new debt.

Option 2: Considering Bankruptcy

If a divorce ultimately leaves you with overwhelming, unmanageable debt, bankruptcy becomes a necessary consideration, not just for the legal fees, but for the entire financial picture.

Understanding Bankruptcy’s Role in Divorce Outcomes

As a bankruptcy attorney and law professor, I can tell you that the single greatest financial risk of divorce is the shift in household income and new debt.

• Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 may be a viable path to relieve pre-existing debt (like credit cards or medical bills) that accumulated during the marriage, allowing you to focus your income for necessary expenses, including your divorce attorney fees.
• Professor’s Note: While most general debt is dischargeable in bankruptcy, domestic support obligations (alimony/spousal support and child support) and debts incurred as part of a property settlement are typically non-dischargeable. If debt is an issue in a divorce case, consult with an experienced bankruptcy attorney as the timing and wording of the divorce agreement are critical.

The Bottom Line

Personal loans are a strategic financial tool best suited for uncontested divorces with predictable costs. For contested divorces, the unpredictable, hourly nature of legal fees makes a large personal loan a risky gamble that could dramatically worsen your long-term financial health. Before taking on additional debt, always seek alternative ways to fund your case or explore the possibility of bankruptcy to clear pre-existing liabilities such as by the sale of the marital home.

Colleges and universities can purchase my bankruptcy law textbook directly from Routledge Publishing. Paralegals and students who are buying single copies can do so via Amazon Books. To access my YouTube channel, click this link. You can also listen to my podcast on Spotify.

You can learn more about filing for bankruptcy and the bankruptcy petition via this link. Information on the bankruptcy court system, contact information for trustees, and your state’s exemptions can be found here. The federal bankruptcy exemptions are listed here. The latest version of the 341 Meeting of the Creditors can be found here.

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Please note that the information on this site does not constitute legal advice and should be considered for informational purposes only.

Updated initially on April 12, 2025.