5 Tips on Choosing a California Divorce Mediator

Posted by: Gerald A. Maggio, Esq.

Orange County divorce mediation; California Divorce MediatorsGoing through a divorce is a tough time for everyone involved, and things tend to get ugly between the spouses more often than not. In order to avoid letting things get out of hand, couples going through a divorce should consider divorce mediation to make the divorce proceedings go smoothly. If you are going down this road, you need to choose the right divorce mediator that you both like, respect, and trust to negotiate the equitable settlement fairly without picking sides. Consider these factors when looking for divorce mediators in Orange County or anywhere else in California:

1. Make Sure the Mediator is Neutral

The divorce mediator should keep the interest of both parties involved in mind before drafting up a marital settlement agreement. The agreement is a legal document binding the two parties to the contract, which they would need to abide by. Furthermore, a good California divorce mediator will encourage you to take the agreement to a private divorce attorney for evaluation.

2. Ask them about the Cost of their Services

Filing for divorce means that it could cost you a lot of money. People choose a divorce mediator over a divorce attorney because it is a cost effective solution. A divorce mediator that charges you a flat fee for all the services the California divorce mediation firm provides is a good option, because it lets you and your soon-to-be-ex partner know in advance about the money it will cost both parties. The other option is that the divorce mediator will charge by the hour.

3. Ask them about their Previous Experiences

Financial concerns are the biggest hurdle in divorce proceedings. A good divorce mediator should be able to provide divorcing couples with good advice on issues such as property, children, and money. They need to have extensive experience in dealing with sensitive issues such as this.

The divorce mediator should be able to analyze everything from household budget to identifying tax issues that may arise during divorce. In regards to parenting, you may need to employ a parenting mediator who has dealt with child custody battles in the past and has been able to resolve them.

4. Meet them and make sure they are Compassionate

The divorce mediator should exhibit genuine concern in solving the couple’s financial woes and making sure the couple divorces on amicable terms. They should be concerned about the well-being of your family and the emotional toll it will take on the children (if you have any). You will need to meet and talk to the divorce mediator in person or over the phone to judge if they have this quality.

5. Ask them for Initial Advice About Mediation Options in the First Meeting

The whole point of hiring a divorce mediator is for the divorcing parties to remain on good terms with each other. Therefore, the divorce mediator should ask the couple if this is what they want and if they are sure that they want to take this course of action to end their marriage. If the couple hesitates to give an answer, the divorce mediator may direct them to seek marriage-counseling, couple’s therapy, or a divorce coach. If the divorce mediator looks more interested in expediting the process even though there might be a chance for reconciliation, you should keep looking.

If you are located in Orange County or anywhere else in California, and are planning to get divorced, you should seek the assistance of a reliable divorce mediator. For further information or to schedule a consultation with California Divorce Mediators, please call (949) 553-0911 or visit www.cadivorcemediators.com.  California Divorce Mediators is an experienced Divorce Mediation and Family Law firm serving the Orange County and Riverside areas and neighboring counties, serving individuals, couples and families with legal issues including divorce, legal separation, spousal support, child support and child custody issues.

To learn more about the divorce process in California and how mediation can help, please visit our page, “What is Divorce Mediation.”

College Tuition and Expenses Can Be Important Topics Negotiated In Divorce Mediation

Posted by: Gerald A. Maggio, Esq.

Orange County divorce mediators; California Divorce MediatorsThere will be many important decisions affecting your family that can generally discussed and negotiated amicably during  a typical divorce mediation.  For those parties with children in middle school or high school, one important issue that at least one party generally wants to address is how the parties will pay for future college costs for the children.  Most parties expect that their children will need to attend college in order to advance in their lives, and the increasingly higher and higher college expenses is often an issue of concern for divorcing parents.

It should be pointed out that there is no legal requirement to pay for college tuition or related expenses for a child under California law.  However, most parents recognize the obvious importance of their children receiving a college education and degree.

So at California Divorce Mediators, we assist with providing options and ideas so that informed decisions by the parties can be made.  Those options can include splitting such college expenses equally or in proportion to the parties’ relative incomes, or one parent can agree to assume the full costs if that makes sound financial sense, as well as alternative financing options.  In the mediation setting, such topics can be freely discussed, with the best interests of the family in mind.  After all, at the end of the day, most parents want what is best for their children, to the best of their financial ability to do so.

The bottom line is that there can be definite benefits to including the issue of payment of college expenses as part of a divorce settlement agreement. For further information or to schedule a consultation with California Divorce Mediators, please call (949) 553-0911 or visit www.cadivorcemediators.com.  California Divorce Mediators is an experienced Divorce Mediation and Family Law firm serving the Orange County and Riverside areas and neighboring counties, serving individuals, couples and families with legal issues including divorce, legal separation, spousal support, child support and child custody issues.

To learn more about the divorce process in California and how mediation can help, please visit our page, “What is Divorce Mediation.”