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Zacarese & Zalewski P.C.
Flat Fee Separation Agreements
Call now: 516-660-4354
Resolve property, support, custody, and parenting time in a binding separation agreement, for a $5,000 flat fee, fixed in writing before drafting begins. Often the calmest, most affordable path toward divorce in New York.
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Flat-Fee Separation Agreements in New York
Not every marriage that ends should end in a courtroom. A well-drafted separation agreement is a binding contract that resolves the real issues (property, debts, support, custody, and parenting time) privately and on your own timeline. After living apart under the agreement for one year, either spouse can convert it into an uncontested "conversion divorce" under DRL §170(6).
Here is where flat-fee pricing matters most: negotiated documents reward efficiency, not billable hours. Zacarese & Zalewski P.C. prepares comprehensive separation agreements for a $5,000 flat fee, every draft, every revision, every negotiation session included.
Flat-Fee Pricing · Suffolk County Family Court
Separation Agreements: $5,000 Flat Fee
Pre-Trial Flat Fee
$5,000
One fee, fixed in writing before any work begins. Covers filings, conferences, negotiations and court appearances within scope, no hourly meter.
Trial Fee: Only If Needed
$7,500
Separation agreements are negotiated documents, most clients never pay anything beyond the flat fee. A trial fee applies only in the rare event of contested litigation.
Fee fixed in writing before any work begins. Third-party expenses (filing fees, notary, appraisals, etc.) are separate.
What a Complete Agreement Covers
A separation agreement worth signing addresses equitable distribution of marital property and debt (the home, retirement accounts, businesses, vehicles, credit cards), spousal maintenance (amount, duration, or a knowing waiver), child custody and parenting time in day-to-day detail, child support consistent with the CSSA, and the practical items couples forget: health insurance, life insurance, tax filing status, and who pays which expenses until the divorce is final. Vague agreements breed litigation; specific ones prevent it.
Why Couples Choose Separation Over Immediate Divorce
Some spouses need continued health-insurance coverage that divorce would cut off. Some have religious or personal reasons to remain married while living apart. Some simply want time and certainty before a final step. And many use the agreement as the blueprint for an uncontested divorce, because once every issue is resolved on paper, the divorce itself becomes paperwork rather than warfare.
The Rules That Make It Enforceable
New York courts hold separation agreements to real formalities: written, signed, and acknowledged before a notary in the manner of a deed. They also scrutinize fairness, full financial disclosure matters, and each spouse should have independent counsel, since one lawyer cannot represent both sides of a contract. An agreement signed under pressure or built on hidden assets can be set aside years later, which is precisely the outcome careful drafting avoids.
What Your Flat Fee Covers
Everything below is included in the pre-trial flat fee, spelled out in a plain-English written retainer before any work begins.
✓Direct Attorney Access
Every question during negotiation answered by your attorney, with no clock running on the conversation.
✓Full Financial Review
Analysis of assets, debts, income, and disclosure so the deal is built on real numbers, not guesses.
✓Complete Drafting
A comprehensive agreement covering property, maintenance, custody, support, insurance, and taxes.
✓Unlimited Revisions
Every draft and redline included, the fee never grows because negotiations take another round.
✓Negotiation With Counsel
Direct negotiation with your spouse's attorney toward terms you can live with for years.
✓Conversion Divorce Path
Structuring the agreement so it converts smoothly into an uncontested divorce after one year.
Transparent Rates by Case Type
| Case Type | Pre-Trial Flat Fee | Trial Flat Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Child Support (FCA Art. 4) | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Orders of Protection (FCA Art. 8) | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Neglect (FCA Art. 10) | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| All Others (Paternity, Custody, Family Offense, Grandparent Custody, etc.) THIS CASE TYPE | $5,000 | $7,500 |
Pre-trial covers all work before testimony begins: filings, conferences, negotiations, and appearances within scope. If your matter proceeds to trial or a contested hearing, the trial fee applies to preparation and the hearing itself, and is due 30 days before the scheduled date. Third-party expenses (filing fees, process servers, transcripts, experts) are separate.
Flat Fee vs. Hourly Billing
Our Approach
Flat Fee
- Your full cost is agreed in writing before any work begins.
- Call or email your attorney freely; no clock running.
- One pre-trial fee, no matter how many appearances your case takes.
- Our incentive: resolve your case efficiently, in your favor.
The Common Way
Hourly Billing
- Cost unknown until the bill arrives.
- Hesitation to call because every minute is billable.
- Retainer drained, replenished, drained again.
- Surprise add-ons for filings, copies and minor tasks.
Flat-Fee FAQ
Is a separation agreement legally binding?
Yes, once properly signed and notarized, it is an enforceable contract. Its custody and support terms can later be incorporated into a divorce judgment, which is why precision at the drafting stage matters so much.
Do we each need our own lawyer?
Yes. One attorney cannot ethically represent both spouses in negotiating a contract between them, and independent counsel for each side also makes the agreement far harder to attack later.
What does the $5,000 flat fee include, and exclude?
It includes the financial review, complete drafting, unlimited revisions, and negotiation with your spouse's counsel. Third-party costs (notary, appraisals, filing fees) are separate, and contested litigation, rare in this practice area, would carry the separately quoted trial fee.
Can we use the agreement to get divorced later?
Yes. After one year of living apart under a properly executed agreement, either spouse may file for a conversion divorce, typically uncontested, faster, and far less expensive than litigating from scratch.
When you speak, I guarantee you will be heard
End the Chapter With Clarity, Not Combat
A comprehensive separation agreement for one $5,000 flat fee, drafts, revisions, and negotiation all included, fixed in writing before we begin.
Call · 516-660-4354Fast call-backs, often the same day. Next-day court appearances are often possible.
Contact Steven Zalewski, Esq.
Call: 516-660-4354
Office: (516) 377-7830
Email: steve@zandzfamilylawyers.com
Address: 1601 Veterans Memorial Highway, Suite 500, Islandia, NY 11749
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Disclaimer
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Every family's situation is different, and court procedures change. Flat-fee amounts describe our standard fee structure; your written retainer agreement controls the scope and fee for your specific matter. Consult a qualified attorney about your case.
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At Zacarese & Zalewski P.C., when something isn’t right, say something—and we’ll do something about it with you.
Our flat-fee structure is clear: one flat fee for pre-trial work, and a trial fee only if your case goes to trial or a hearing. Call now and a professional will return your call quickly; if we miss you, we'll call back the same day.
