Why do many people get divorced? They argue about money. The husband and wife have different ideas about how much money they need, how much they should each contribute to the family, and how the money should be spent.
Then, they come to divorce mediation, and they argue about money.
At Westfield Mediation, LLC, we help divorcing couples create an agreement that works for their future. As part of this process, we go through their assets (homes, investments or retirement accounts), and their debts (credit card, mortgages, car and student loans) and develop a plan for dividing them. We work out child support based on their incomes, the amount of parenting time they each have, and the children's needs. We figure out a reasonable plan for alimony based on the length of the marriage, and the earning capacity of each person. We include review clauses to account for changes in employment and the family's needs.
Sometimes this process moves smoothly, and sometimes not so much. In many cases, parents are happy to contribute to their children's expenses, though they may differ on what expenses are reasonable. In addition, some people are less happy to provide support to their soon to be ex-spouses.
The good thing about divorce mediation is that you have the opportunity to devise a creative solution that works for your particular family. The neutral, impartial mediator guides you through this process, making sure that each person's interests are represented, and that the end result is fair and equitable.
