The divorce industry in the United States is a multi-billion-dollar ecosystem that thrives on conflict, complexity, and confusion. While most assume divorce is merely a legal procedure, the true scope of economic activity surrounding marital dissolution is staggering—and often invisible.
Here’s what the numbers show:
- $13.2 billion: The estimated 2024 U.S. market size for family law and divorce attorneys, according to IBISWorld. This figure reflects only legal services—excluding mediation, clerks, child support enforcement, and related industries.
- $54.4 million: The estimated divorce-related revenue generated annually in California alone. This includes court filing fees, mandated parenting classes, and mediation charges.
- $30 billion: The amount custodial parents are owed in child support each year—yet only 62% is actually received.
Even with fewer marriages ending in divorce (the rate declined from 4.0 per 1,000 in 2000 to 2.4 in 2022), the industry remains resilient due to increasingly complex disputes. High-asset divorces, custody battles, and protracted litigation keep the money flowing. An estimated 1 in 4 custody cases ends up in court. This isn’t just law—it’s business.
And it raises a critical question: Is the divorce industry incentivized to resolve conflict—or prolong it?
Public sentiment is shifting. Posts across social platforms question whether the system is more invested in generating revenue than in delivering justice. While that claim is controversial, the economic footprint is undeniable.
Splitifi exists to expose and address this imbalance. We believe data should drive divorce—not emotion. With AI tools for financial discovery, document automation, and motion management, our platform strips out the inefficiency that fuels this $60B industry.
We’re not just changing divorce. We’re dismantling the machine behind it.
