Pricing: How Much to Charge for Document Preparation Services?

Well... there are a few ways to look at it. You can set your prices based on:

• Cost of doing business = First, figure out how much money you need to charge per in order to make the numbers work, i.e. cover overhead and pay yourself for time spent away from your family. How much money to do you need to make each month to cover your bills?
• What people are willing to pay (Let the market set your prices) = Set your prices based on what the market will bear. What are people willing to pay? How much can they afford to pay? How much is your work worth to them? If they didn't pay you, would they have to take a day off work to get it done? Are they willing to pay you to keep from dealing with the stress? 
• Match/Undercut Competitor pricing = check out your competitors; what’s the going rate in your area? How low are you willing to go? If you undercut your competitors will you undercut yourself? Can you do things more efficiently than your competitors? Careful, that could be a quick race to the bottom.

Personally, I do a little of everything. We have lengthy discussions about pricing in chapter meetings. Most LDAs find a niche then specialize in it or stick to one area of practice. Everyone is different. Not all motions are created equally.

• Do you prepare the declaration or does the client?
• Is there a page limit on the declaration you're willing to prepare?
• Do you charge based on issues. For example, motions for support required an updated Income and Expense Declaration.
• Will you prepare that as well or charge a separate fee.
  
• Do you including filing fees?
  
• Is service or court filing included, etc.?

These are all factors that must be taken into consideration. Each required additional time and efforts. I prefer to not only prepare the documents, but also filing with the court and serve by mail. It saves more time to do it myself, then explaining how to follow the court's instructions.  

Pricing is not set in stone. You can always raise their prices annually. The average fee is $450 for a Request for Order (Motion) and goes up depending on case complexity. You can always run a promotion to test the market too. Test the market then adapt. 

Sacramento County LDA Reg. 2020-03, Exp 08/04/2024