SAVE MONEY: Mediate

How do we save money?

Often folks would prefer to save money and keep afloat financially during a difficult process. During mediation, we have a conversation about income and expenses and how to have financial peace. We gather information to help you make decisions about your finances during the process. Here are a few tips to help you save money on your divorce:

Stay out of court!

The cheapest way is to avoid the court room! Going to court can possibly end in bankruptcy or financial ruin for both you and your spouse. Consider using a qualified mediator to empower you to make decisions for yourself and your family. Mediation fees are typically much less expensive compared to litigation fees. Your chances of a quick, inexpensive and amicable process significantly increase by simply staying out of the courtroom.

Ask for an estimate

At the initial consultation, ask for an estimate of the fees and whether you will need to pay a large retainer upfront. A retainer is a lump sum, advance payment to your attorney to begin your case, and can be in the $2000 – $5000 or more range. If cash flow is an issue, consider asking whether your attorney offers “unbundled” services. Unbundling may help your cash flow because you only pay for the services you actually use or need, essentially you will pay for your services as you go. As a mediator, I find that unbundling my services helps families move forward without the financial stress of large upfront payments.

Know your finances

Gather and organize your financial statements and prepare a budget worksheet on your own. By becoming better aware of your financial situation, rather than asking a lawyer to prepare certain documents for you, will save you precious time and money. If you are using a mediator, making copies and sharing these documents with your spouse ahead of time will also help you both save you time and money during the process.

Hire your own professionals

You and your spouse may need to hire other professionals such as accountants, certified divorce financial planners, appraisers, real estate agents, and therapists. Using professionals to assist in business valuations, valuing personal assets, investments, retirement accounts, homes, and taxes can be helpful but are not always necessary. Agreeing on whether to hire these experts with your spouse and agreeing to share in these expenses can save your family time and money.

Get organized

When preparing for mediation, organizing your thoughts will save you time and money.  Write a list of your questions and the important matters that you wish to discuss. Staying focused and prepared will help you make decisions and find solutions efficiently. Gather and organize your paperwork and documents in a special folder, and make the necessary copies, so that you are prepared to provide the information when asked in a timely manner.

Communicate

You and your spouse have previously had to communicate during your marriage and make important decisions.  During the mediation process, it can be helpful to continue to talk to your spouse about the big decisions for your family. You will need to make decisions about your children and pets and how to divide your assets and debts. Try to find common ground and discuss the most effective way to distribute cars, homes, pets, and bank accounts. This may seem like common sense, but the more you and your spouse talk and communicate with each other directly instead of through lawyers the less expensive your process will be.

Contact Me

If you or your partner would like more information on mediation please contact Dawn Clement at [email protected] to schedule a consultation.

The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.