When a family is considering divorce, there are many options they should explore before officially starting the legal process. Divorce can be a complicated process and information on how to proceed can be provided by free resources in your state.

Step 1- find a Divorce Mediation Center, these are cropping up all across the United States offering a comprehensive wealth of information and professional resources and should be a family’s first step in investigating which method they choose to complete this process.

What is Divorce Mediation?

Divorce Mediation is a couple assisted process that guides spouses through the divorce process in a low conflict & low-cost way.

What’s Divorce Mediation Like?

Divorce Mediation is a meeting with a trained neutral that guides spouses together (or in separate rooms) through making decisions regarding their divorce settlement.

This often covers how the family will divide marital assets and debts and create a co-parenting plan on how they will partner in continuing to raise their children until adulthood.

It can be a bit overwhelming for spouses who may be preoccupied with the emotional aspect of the current relational dynamics to make wise decisions regarding the process of converting one household to two.

Goals of minimizing the expenses and maximizing the tax implications of both new households can be a daunting task.

It is wise to seek professionals (Professional Accountants who are Certified Divorce Financial Analysts) to assist Spouses in assessing the specific family needs and recommending a practical financial course of action.

Most Divorce Mediation Centers can provide families with these professionals and resources. A well-informed couple will be better prepared to make productive final decisions through the necessary negotiation process required for financial settlements.

What Does Divorce Mediation Cost?

While a typical litigated divorce costs a family upwards of $50,000, a mediated divorce can cost a family usually no more than $5,000-$8,000.

Many couples immediately hire Attorneys and start the costly divorce court litigation process by filing for divorce in their county well before they have done their necessary financial “due diligence”.

Transitions Resource, Divorce Mediation Center in Atlanta, a Family Divorce Consumer Advocacy since 2010, recommends that only after the family has sought sound financial recommendations should they start their divorce process, and they provide the necessary financial guidance to do just that.

How to Approach Divorce Mediation?

Too often couples enter negotiations and agree to terms or attend trials uninformed and are ordered financial stipulations that down the road leave them in dire compromised financial straits.

When both spouses are informed of what they are entitled to and what is considered a fair and reasonable division of assets, recommended alimony and child support, they are empowered to make life-long lasting decisions about the welfare of their family moving post-divorce.

Many families do not know that with the proper professional guidance that they can reach negotiated agreements prior to filing for divorce that are a win/win for both spouses, saving the family a large bit of money (saving upwards of $40,000 by avoiding court ordered status conferences, days of trial depositions, court appearances and missed time from work).

Nor do they know that they can actually file the “Request for Divorce” AND negotiated “Divorce Settlement” documents SIMULTANEOUSLY to save them from entering the costly litigious legal arena altogether.

An important benefit in taking this alternative practical approach is it also greatly reduces the amount of conflict between spouses who in many cases, will need to have a healthy co-parenting relationship post divorce.

More financial settlement advice and tips in our two books Transitions Divorce® Prep Workbook and Family Divorce 101-A Guide to What Divorcing Families Should Know

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 Disclosure of Material Connection : I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR. Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Disclaimer: This is my personal blog. The opinions I express here do not necessarily represent those of my organization, Transitions Resource, LLC. The information I provide is on an as-is basis. I make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use.

The post Considering Divorce? Step 1-Find a Divorce Mediation Center first appeared on Divorce Mediation Center.