If you have chosen to use mediation to end your marriage, then you have already taken a positive step toward making the divorce simpler. Couples who mediate their divorce tend to finalize things much sooner than those who litigate, thereby saving themselves money as well as time and stress.
Here are a few things you should do before you enter the mediation room to begin proceedings:
Gather evidence
If you wish to make a case for needing a certain amount of money or assets, then you need to be able to show why. Couples should make a list of all their assets anyway, regardless of which divorce method they use.
However, it’s not just a list of assets you need. If you are requesting a certain amount of money, say to retrain, or buy a new house in a different area for you and the children, then you cannot just pluck figures out of the air. Documentation showing where you got your numbers from will be crucial.
Decide on your goals and your limits
Mediation will typically require a bit of give and take from both parties. While you should set goals that you would ideally like to achieve it is important to be realistic and accept that what you emerge with may fall short of these ideals. Have an idea of how far you are willing to compromise before entering, but also stay flexible during negotiations.
Get yourself in a positive frame of mind
Don’t enter divorce mediation assuming it will fail. Don’t enter still raging about something the other person did. Treat it as an opportunity to get your divorce over the line and start living your new life sooner.
Getting help to learn more about how divorce and mediation work is wise.