Build a planning range for common legal costs. No email required, no sales pitch, and clear assumptions you can verify.
⚖️ 100% Free · No Sign-Up · No Data Sold · Updated 2026Estimate total divorce costs by state — contested vs. uncontested, children, shared assets, and attorney fees all factored in.
Calculate Now →See the full financial impact of a DUI — fines, attorney fees, DUI school, ignition interlock, and the 3-year insurance hit.
Calculate Now →Estimate your personal injury settlement range using the multiplier method — medical bills, lost wages, and liability percentage.
Calculate Now →Find out what a will, living trust, power of attorney, and full estate plan will cost an attorney to prepare in your state.
Calculate Now →Get the real cost to form an LLC in your state — state filing fees, registered agent, operating agreement, EIN, and annual costs.
Calculate Now →Estimate the total cost of Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy — filing fees, attorney costs, credit counseling, and more.
Calculate Now →Estimate monthly child support using the income shares model — the most common formula in the US, based on both parents' incomes.
Calculate Now →Calculate the true total cost of a speeding ticket — base fine, court fees, traffic school, and the hidden 3-year insurance increase.
Calculate Now →See real 2025/2026 USCIS filing fees for green cards, citizenship, work visas, DACA, family petitions, and more — plus attorney estimates.
Calculate Now →Find out what it costs to file a small claims case in your state — filing fees, service costs, and what to expect in court.
Calculate Now →Free IQ Decision Guides show the meaningful options, help you narrow what deserves investigation, and explain the tradeoffs. No account, contact information, or purchase is required; your selections stay in your browser.
Legal costs in the United States are notoriously opaque. Unlike buying a car or hiring a contractor, most people have no idea what they're about to spend when they walk into an attorney's office — or even when they're deciding whether to call one at all. Attorney hourly rates range from $150 to over $500 depending on location and specialty. Court filing fees vary by state and case type. Mandatory programs, assessments, and insurance surcharges pile on in ways that nobody explains upfront. The result: millions of Americans either overpay, underprepare, or avoid the legal system entirely because they can't gauge what it will cost them.
FreeLegalIQ was built to make early research easier. Our free legal cost calculators cover common situations including divorce, DUI, personal injury, estate planning, LLC formation, bankruptcy, child support, speeding tickets, immigration, and small claims court. You enter a few facts and receive a planning range with the assumptions and limitations explained. The result is not a quote, prediction, or legal advice; verify current fees and rules with the linked official sources. No email is required and no law firm is paying to influence the result.
We're an independent educational resource, not a lawyer referral service. Our goal is to help you walk into any legal situation — or any attorney's office — with a realistic sense of what you're facing financially. Knowing the cost range in advance lets you budget properly, compare attorney quotes intelligently, and make better decisions about when to hire help versus when to handle something yourself. We update our data regularly to reflect current court fees, attorney rate surveys, and state-specific rule changes.
Typical total cost ranges for common legal situations in the United States. Figures include attorney fees, court costs, and related expenses. Use the calculators above for a personalized estimate.
| Legal Matter | Low End | Typical Range | High End | Key Variable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce (uncontested) | $500 | $1,500–$5,000 | $10,000+ | State filing fees, children |
| Divorce (contested) | $5,000 | $15,000–$30,000 | $100,000+ | Custody, assets, state |
| DUI (first offense) | $5,000 | $10,000–$20,000 | $30,000+ | State, BAC, prior record |
| Child Support (monthly) | $200/mo | $400–$1,200/mo | $3,000+/mo | Both incomes, custody |
| Estate Plan (basic) | $300 | $1,500–$3,500 | $10,000+ | Complexity, state, trust |
| LLC Formation | $50 | $500–$1,500 | $3,000+ | State filing fee, attorney |
| Bankruptcy (Ch. 7) | $1,500 | $2,500–$4,500 | $8,000+ | Assets, complexity |
| Speeding Ticket (true cost) | $150 | $750–$2,500 | $5,000+ | Speed, state, insurance hit |
| Immigration (Green Card) | $1,440 | $4,000–$9,000 | $20,000+ | Visa category, attorney |
| Small Claims (filing) | $30 | $75–$200 | $500+ | State, claim amount |
Sources: ABA attorney fee surveys, USCIS fee schedules, state court fee tables, Insurance Information Institute. Figures are 2026 estimates; actual costs vary by state, attorney, and case complexity.
Each calculator uses a combination of fixed data (court filing fees, mandatory program costs, USCIS fee schedules) and variable formulas that adjust based on your inputs (state, case complexity, income, attorney representation level). For calculations that depend on attorney fees, we use median hourly rate data by state from the most recent ABA and NALP surveys, adjusted for case type and complexity tier.
Insurance impact calculations — used in the DUI, speeding ticket, and personal injury calculators — are based on Insurance Information Institute data and proprietary rate survey data from major insurers operating nationally. Child support estimates use the Income Shares model formula published by state family courts; the Texas and New York percentage-of-income models are handled separately.
Important: These calculators produce estimates, not guarantees. Real-world costs depend on your specific attorney, the complexity of your particular case, local court procedures, and how events unfold. Use these figures as a starting framework for planning and budgeting — not as a final number. For a binding quote, consult a licensed attorney in your state. Many offer free initial consultations.