In Florida, separated. Wife just filed the divorce papers. 1 9y/o child. Hers biologically. I legally adopted.

I tried asking this in other places and everyone went on the offensive acting like I just scum for even asking anything. The child (and my exwife) are WELL taken care of. And I have been paying half of any expenses related to the child.

My wife and I recently separated. It's near as amicable as it can be. However, we are about to go through the actual divorce. We have one child (hers from previous but I adopted her, was pressured into it at that as I did not care about what a paper said, she said she was scared of what the bio-father's family would do). I make almost double what she does, on paper, but she has virtually zero costs outside of utility bills. She lives rent free in a house owned by her parents (a house they forced me into, making me sell the previous house I owned as I couldn't afford to keep it and pay their rent/mortgage). Paid her car off in full with money she received from her family. I have a mortgage (unfortunately high due to the current screwed up market but rentals are super effed in this area), and some debt from moving and furnishing a new house (left her pretty much everything house-furnishing wise). And she signed documents refusing any claim to this home.

I am scrimping and saving everywhere I can right now but I am terrified of what's about to happen to me financially. My soon-to-be-ex hired her attorney to do the paperwork and get things rolling in a way that I don't "Need" to hire anyone and they've sent over the papers with the "parenting plan" and asking for me to provide all my financial info. This would obviously save me money up front but is this safe to do for me? Is there a better way? Of course my wife wants me to not have an attorney as having it be "contested" will cost her more.

I did speak to one divorce attorney that an acquaintance who is a criminal attorney recommended me too, but his fee was high ($2000 retainer/minimum), and I did have a short meeting with him (that I had to pay $100 for) and he just said child support is done in Florida just based on a formula and not much can be done. I got the feeling from him that hiring him, or anyone, would be close to pointless. However, I was curious if anyone has experience in this department. I want to know if there is any way that certain/better attorneys can work magic to reduce what I will be required to provide every month as rough estimates have put me in the $800/month category, and this is going to destroy me financially. Like never leave my house, not be able to repair what's needed on my house or do anything beyond pay basic utilities and pay my exwife. That's a miserable life...

Edit: For what it's worth, I was told by her to leave after we have had constant problems due to mental abuse (both of us) by her family and she won't separate herself from them. They are mental bullies, controlling as hell. Her parents AND grandparents. They control every aspect of both of their lives. I refused to be controller by them which made for man headbutting times.