While I would rank these reasons somewhat differently - couples making all the decisions in mediation and mediation being much more emotionally protective of a couple's children rate higher for me - this list of reasons put together by Susan Ingram to choose divorce mediation make a compelling case.
If you or someone you know could benefit from assistance in decision making during a divorce, contact Falmouth Mediation at 508-566-4159 for a free, no-obligation, private, confidential consultation. I will be happy to discuss the key details of your situation, address any concerns, and help you decide if divorce mediation would be beneficial.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
To Stay or To Go - Divorce and the Family Home
When considering a divorce and the family home, take your time to evaluate your options. Don’t base your decision on emotions!
When facing a divorce, it’s common for any number of reasons, for one spouse to express a desire to stay in the family home. The spouse may want to minimize disruption in the lives of the children. Or they may simply want the comfort of familiar surroundings as they face dramatic life-altering changes. Under these circumstances, many profound emotional forces can be at play.
As Cathy DeWitt Dunn writes, it is best to set emotions aside and ask yourself, does it make financial sense to retain the family home? Before making your decision, make an effort to undertake a realistic assessment of your situation. You can start by considering these four factors:
- Market conditions and Current Home Value
- Mortgage Qualification
- Costs of Other Options
- Buyouts
Monday, February 2, 2015
Help Plan for Taxes with Divorce Mediation
One of the little-known benefits of divorce mediation is the ability it gives couples to plan for future taxes, says Gerald Maggio, a California divorce mediator.
Divorced couples who do not communicate clearly about taxes can end up with rejected returns, audits and tax penalties. Divorced or separated parents must agree which parent will claim their children as a dependent on a tax return and the implications of spousal support.
“Divorcing couples can use divorce mediation to discuss and plan for taxes, and when circumstances change, divorced couples can always come back to mediation to create a new arrangement,” remarked Maggio. “It is not just about avoiding problems with the IRS — mediation can also eliminate potential sources of conflict at a time of year that may already be stressful.”
Divorced couples who do not communicate clearly about taxes can end up with rejected returns, audits and tax penalties. Divorced or separated parents must agree which parent will claim their children as a dependent on a tax return and the implications of spousal support.
“Divorcing couples can use divorce mediation to discuss and plan for taxes, and when circumstances change, divorced couples can always come back to mediation to create a new arrangement,” remarked Maggio. “It is not just about avoiding problems with the IRS — mediation can also eliminate potential sources of conflict at a time of year that may already be stressful.”
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Grey Divorce
While the rate of divorce for the general population was relatively flat between 1990 and 2010, the divorce rate for couples age 50 and over doubled during that span.
Why?
As Daniel R. Burns writes in this excellent blog posting, part of the reason is that older couples often have more financial resources to fall back on. Also, women in the workforce who have their own retirement accounts and salary which makes them less dependent on their spouses for support. Even those who do not have their own retirement accounts or pensions are usually entitled, by state law, to share in the accounts owned by their spouses. And, if a marriage has lasted at least 10 years, the non-working spouse is entitled to receive 50% of his or her spouse’s Social Security benefit.
If you or someone you know could benefit from assistance in decision making during a divorce, contact Falmouth Mediation at 508-566-4159 for a free, no-obligation, private, confidential consultation. We will be happy to discuss the key details of your situation, address any concerns, and help you decide if divorce mediation would be beneficial.
Why?
As Daniel R. Burns writes in this excellent blog posting, part of the reason is that older couples often have more financial resources to fall back on. Also, women in the workforce who have their own retirement accounts and salary which makes them less dependent on their spouses for support. Even those who do not have their own retirement accounts or pensions are usually entitled, by state law, to share in the accounts owned by their spouses. And, if a marriage has lasted at least 10 years, the non-working spouse is entitled to receive 50% of his or her spouse’s Social Security benefit.
If you or someone you know could benefit from assistance in decision making during a divorce, contact Falmouth Mediation at 508-566-4159 for a free, no-obligation, private, confidential consultation. We will be happy to discuss the key details of your situation, address any concerns, and help you decide if divorce mediation would be beneficial.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Kids & Families First: The Magic of Mediation
When parents choose mediation, a non-adversarial method toward divorce, they're less stressed, which in turn reduces stress for their children. Parents must focus on their shared parental responsibilities, shifting the traditional "win-lose" posturing. Having relaxed, responsible parents translates to healthier, well-adjusted children.
In this excellent blog posting from The Maine Free Press, Judith Hatch Orme writes that "mediation provides good preparation for parenting after separation or divorce. It will be necessary to co-parent, making important decisions for your children. The other person will be your child's other parent for the rest of your life. There is clear evidence that most children are best served when receiving the emotional and financial support of both parents. Further, conflict adversely impacts children. When caught in the crossfire of divorce, they experience sadness, anger, loss of security, and diminished self-esteem, at a time of heightened vulnerability."
Like Judith, helping parents develop parenting plans that lead all family members ultimately to a place of increased growth, understanding, and personal empowerment is my goal.
If you or someone you know could benefit from assistance in decision making during a divorce, contact Falmouth Mediation at 508-566-4159 for a free, no-obligation, private, confidential consultation. We will be happy to discuss the key details of your situation, address any concerns, and help you decide if divorce mediation would be beneficial.
In this excellent blog posting from The Maine Free Press, Judith Hatch Orme writes that "mediation provides good preparation for parenting after separation or divorce. It will be necessary to co-parent, making important decisions for your children. The other person will be your child's other parent for the rest of your life. There is clear evidence that most children are best served when receiving the emotional and financial support of both parents. Further, conflict adversely impacts children. When caught in the crossfire of divorce, they experience sadness, anger, loss of security, and diminished self-esteem, at a time of heightened vulnerability."
Like Judith, helping parents develop parenting plans that lead all family members ultimately to a place of increased growth, understanding, and personal empowerment is my goal.
If you or someone you know could benefit from assistance in decision making during a divorce, contact Falmouth Mediation at 508-566-4159 for a free, no-obligation, private, confidential consultation. We will be happy to discuss the key details of your situation, address any concerns, and help you decide if divorce mediation would be beneficial.
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