How To Make Your Divorce Mediation Checklist
The success of your divorce mediation depends on many factors such as the couple’s cooperation, willingness to settle their dispute amicably, and the complexity of their case. Orange County divorce mediators are tasked to keep the couples on track in their divorce mediation. Negotiating and coming to an agreement is the task of the couples but it’s easier said than done. For most couples this is a hard task and here we provide you a list of the top issues you should talk about in your divorce mediation.
Minor Children
Parenting in a marriage and parenting post-marriage are two very different things. During the marriage, you and your couple are likely to have a specific way of co-parenting but after divorce, all that is going to change drastically. Therefore, it is advised that you talk to your spouse about it. In such a discussion, talk about work schedules, the child’s activity times, and then segregate duties of the child to each other in a way that’s convenient to both of you.
Property
A large number of couples have only their real estate as an asset in their divorce. When couples buy a home, they have to share the mortgage using their income and the subsequent expenses that are incurred on the house. When you decide to get separated, the future of your house should come under discussion. Both the spouses should decide whether they wish to rent the property out or have one of them live in it and who and how will the mortgage payments be made in the future.
Furniture
When couples undergo divorce, they separate their households. In such a case, it’s important that you discuss the classification of furniture in your divorce mediation, because these are inventories that might lead to disagreements in the future.
Businesses
If you and your spouse own a business, that is one subject that should come under discussion in your mediation. The business is likely to be the source of a financial income to both of you and it is important that you have a detailed discussion regarding it. The discussion could include who would make the decision in the business, whether to keep the business or sell it off, and how will the profits be divided.
Debts
This is definitely a topic most couples shy away from but that’s not a wise thing to do. Debt discussions are never bound to be fun, but they are important and have to be had. These discussions will let you discuss with your spouse the amount of debt you have, whether it was taken before or during marriage, and how will the payments of the debts be divided. This is important if you want to avoid being surprised by a large credit card bill.
To learn more about the divorce process in California and how mediation can help, please visit our page, “What is Divorce Mediation.”
Gerald A. Maggio is a trained Irvine divorce mediator who has amicably resolved cases many cases out of court, as well as an experienced divorce and family law attorney. Mr. Maggio founded California Divorce Mediators in 2012 with the belief that although “not every marriage can be saved, every family can” and a mission to save families from the financial and emotional distress associated with traditional divorce litigation. California Divorce Mediators is located in Irvine, California, and serves the Orange County area and other counties in California offering divorce mediation, child custody mediation and mediation of other family law matters.
