For today's post I'd like to talk a little about what happens after divorce mediation with Equitable Mediation Services as for many of our clients, the concept of divorce or mediation is such an emotionally draining and overwhelming thought that sometimes certain tasks may get lost after a couple leaves my office. Once all the agreements have been reached on parenting plans, equitable distribution, the NJ child support guidelines and spousal support / alimony, there is still work to be done by each of you to ensure the agreement can be fully in effect.

Take for example in a recent unanimous decision, the Supreme Court allowed the payment of retirement plan benefits to an ex-spouse despite her waiver of her rights to those benefits in the couple's 1994 divorce decree. Even though it was perfectly clear to both her and her ex-husband that she would not receive any payment from the retirement plan, her ex-husband passed away in 2001 and never changed the beneficiary form. The Supreme Court upheld that she was entitled to receive the $400,000 payment and they felt the plan administrator properly distributed benefits as she was the only designated beneficiary, even though she had waived her interest in plan benefits in the couple's divorce decree.

So what is the moral of this story? There are often things a divorcing couple must take care after divorce mediation. Often these items are a nuisance and the last thing you want to do is think about changing plan beneficiaries and the like but as this recent Supreme Court ruling shows us, the devil is in the details. No amount of mediation documentation is going to change the fact that some of the burden falls on you to enforce your agreement moving forward. When you work with Equitable Mediation Services, we provide you checklists and worksheets to simplify the process and help you manage these details as effectively as we can. We understand this is an emotional time and the last thing on your mind is to remember all the things you need to do once your divorce is final.

Joseph F. Dillon is the founder of Equitable Mediation Services, a New Jersey based mediation practice that serves clients in Somerset, Mercer, Middlesex and Hunterdon counties. The practice was founded as an alternative to the high cost and high stress that is often associated with attorney-driven divorces. All mediation sessions are strictly confidential and handled with the compassion that such an emotional time deserves.

Mr. Dillon can be contacted by phone at (908)864-2177 or or Visit Web Site