If you and your spouse are considering pursuing divorce, but you are reluctant to go through the traditional court process, divorce mediation could be a great option for you. In spite of how much more frequently couples are using divorce mediation, questions about it may not get answered until you make the decision to get divorced and discover its possibilities. As a result, you may be asking the question exactly what does divorce mediation address? AMS Mediation specializes in divorce mediation and can help you answer this question.
Can You Settle all Terms of a Divorce with Mediation?
The short answer is that divorce mediation addresses everything that the more traditional court-based divorce processes address. Divorce mediation, however, has many advantages over the more traditional process, including one that is vitally important to most people—divorce mediation is typically far less expensive than a court battle that requires you to hire attorneys. The three main categories of a divorce settlement generally include the following:
- Division of assets and debts. Married couples accrue both assets and debts during their time together. When a marriage ends it is necessary to determine who will be responsible for each debt and who will take possession of each asset when the divorce is finalized.
- Matters of financial support. If one spouse will be providing financial support to the other spouse (a process more commonly known as ‘alimony’ or ‘spousal maintenance’), divorce mediation will help you address and resolve the specific details of the financial agreement. Most important, if you have children, your divorce mediator can also help you come to agreement on issues of child support.
- Creating parenting plans. Resolving questions about the financial support of children is extremely important, but children need more than monetary support from their parents after your divorce is finalized. A parenting plan helps you determine the amount of time your children will spend with each parent, where their primary place of residence will be, whether or not they continue at their same school, and whether or not changes will take place with regard to such things as religious practices, healthcare, time spent with extended family members.
Experienced Minnesota Divorce Mediator
While these three categories tend to cover most settlement issues, AMS Mediation understands that every couple is unique, which means that every divorce process will be unique. Our team can help you navigate any issues related to your specific circumstances so that you and your family can move forward and focus on your future, rather than your past. To schedule a free consultation, call AMS Mediation at 952.252.1492.
