Is Mediation Worth Going Through for a “Standard” Divorce?

Many couples who decide to divorce don’t anticipate a lot of drama or complexity to their settlement. If you think your divorce will be more or less “standard,” you might wonder if it’s worth paying the fees for mediation. But before you decide against mediation, here are a few points to consider:

• How “standard” is your divorce likely to be?
• You might be unaware of issues that need to be settled.
• Mediation is a shared cost, so whatever you spend gets split two ways.
• You can easily transition from mediation to uncontested divorce.

When we speak of standard divorce, we mean a couple who are W2 wage or salary workers without any complex financial issues. They have standard financial holdings, which include savings and checking accounts, a retirement account, a home, maybe a timeshare, and a couple of cars. If they have children, they are both responsible, engaged parents without major misgivings about the other’s parenting style or particular demands for custody or visitation.

If you fit this profile, you are almost certainly candidates for uncontested divorce, if you can sand down a few inevitable rough edges. That’s where mediation comes in. With mediation, you are both in the same room as an attorney-mediator reviews your situation, raises points you may not have considered, provides guidance on the details of your settlement, and suggests what life will look like when you implement the terms you’re considering.

So, the mediation process is well worth your time. You can probably sail through court with a settlement you’ve worked out separately, but mediation lets you test the viability of the agreement before the judge finalizes it as a court order.

At Solutions Divorce Mediation, Inc., our attorney-mediators have helped numerous couples transition from mediation to uncontested divorce. To learn more about how we can help you, call 1.631.683.8172 or contact our Long Island office online.