Free Legal Cost Calculators — Know Before You Call

Estimate real legal costs before hiring an attorney. No email required, no sales pitch, no jargon — just honest numbers.

⚖️ 100% Free · No Sign-Up · No Data Sold · Updated 2026
🔒 No personal data collected
Instant results, no sign-up
Based on 2026 US data
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Divorce Cost Calculator

Estimate total divorce costs by state — contested vs. uncontested, children, shared assets, and attorney fees all factored in.

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DUI Cost Calculator

See the full financial impact of a DUI — fines, attorney fees, DUI school, ignition interlock, and the 3-year insurance hit.

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Personal Injury Settlement Calculator

Estimate your personal injury settlement range using the multiplier method — medical bills, lost wages, and liability percentage.

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Estate Planning Cost Calculator

Find out what a will, living trust, power of attorney, and full estate plan will cost an attorney to prepare in your state.

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LLC Formation Cost Calculator

Get the real cost to form an LLC in your state — state filing fees, registered agent, operating agreement, EIN, and annual costs.

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Bankruptcy Cost Calculator

Estimate the total cost of Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy — filing fees, attorney costs, credit counseling, and more.

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Child Support Calculator

Estimate monthly child support using the income shares model — the most common formula in the US, based on both parents' incomes.

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Speeding Ticket Cost Calculator

Calculate the true total cost of a speeding ticket — base fine, court fees, traffic school, and the hidden 3-year insurance increase.

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Immigration Fee Calculator

See real 2025/2026 USCIS filing fees for green cards, citizenship, work visas, DACA, family petitions, and more — plus attorney estimates.

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Small Claims Court Calculator

Find out what it costs to file a small claims case in your state — filing fees, service costs, and what to expect in court.

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About FreeLegalIQ

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 fix that. Our free legal cost calculators cover the most common legal situations US consumers face — divorce, DUI, personal injury, estate planning, LLC formation, bankruptcy, child support, speeding tickets, immigration, and small claims court. Each calculator is built on data from bar association surveys, court fee schedules, USCIS fee tables, and insurance industry reports. You enter your specifics — state, income, case type — and get a realistic cost range in seconds. No email required. No sales pitch. No law firm affiliation. Just honest numbers.

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.

How These Calculators Work

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our calculators use real data from bar associations, court websites, USCIS fee schedules, and industry surveys to provide realistic estimates. They're designed to give you a solid ballpark before you consult an attorney — not to replace professional legal advice. Actual costs vary by attorney, jurisdiction, case complexity, and individual circumstances. We update data periodically to reflect current fee schedules and attorney rate surveys.
No account, no email, no sign-up — ever. All calculations run entirely in your browser. We don't collect or store any of your inputs. FreeLegalIQ is a free educational tool supported by display advertising. We have no affiliation with any law firm and receive no referral fees.
Legal costs vary by state due to differences in court filing fees, local attorney market rates, state-specific procedural requirements, and cost of living. California and New York attorneys typically charge 2–3x the hourly rate of attorneys in rural Midwest states. Court filing fees alone range from under $100 in some states to over $400 for the same type of case in others. Our calculators account for these regional differences where data is available.
For simple matters — an uncontested divorce with no children or assets, a small claims case under $1,000, or forming a basic single-member LLC — DIY is often reasonable. For anything involving criminal charges (DUI, felonies), contested family law, personal injury claims against insurance companies, complex estates, or immigration, an attorney's expertise almost always pays for itself in better outcomes. The general rule: the higher the stakes and the more the other side has professional representation, the more you need it too.
No. FreeLegalIQ's calculators are educational tools that provide cost estimates only. They are not legal advice and do not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state. Many attorneys offer free 30-minute initial consultations — use those to ask about their fees and get a sense of what your specific case might cost.
Among the common legal situations covered here, contested divorces with children and significant assets are typically the most expensive — frequently reaching $50,000–$150,000 per spouse in complex cases. Personal injury litigation that goes to trial can also run into six figures in attorney fees, though most are offset by the contingency arrangement. DUIs are expensive relative to the underlying violation, often totaling $15,000–$25,000 when all costs are included over three years.
Attorneys use different fee structures depending on the case type. Hourly billing is most common for divorce, DUI defense, estate planning, and business formation — you pay for the time spent. Flat fees are common for straightforward matters like simple wills, LLC formation, or uncontested divorces. Contingency fees — where the attorney takes 25–40% of the recovery — are standard for personal injury cases, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Immigration and bankruptcy attorneys often use flat fees for defined scopes of work.
Yes. Several resources provide free or low-cost legal help: Legal Aid organizations in every state offer free civil legal services to qualifying low-income individuals. Law school clinics handle many types of cases for free. State bar association lawyer referral programs often provide reduced-fee initial consultations. For federal immigration cases, nonprofit accredited representatives can provide low-cost assistance. Court self-help centers assist with procedural questions. Search "legal aid [your state]" or visit lawhelp.org to find local resources.