Do you think that there is no way to avoid spending a fortune on your divorce? Feel as if you have no other option than to fight your ex tooth and nail over every lamp or area rug? Think again. These days, some former couples making their way through divorce find that they can do all the things that they need to do to move forward with their separate lives without having to go through litigation.
Instead, many former couples opt for divorce mediation, which involves both parties coming together with an unbiased third party to work through matters to end the marriage. While mediation may not work in all circumstances, if your split is at least relatively amicable, it may serve you both well to consider it. Why? Compared with a courtroom divorce, divorce mediation offers several notable benefits, such as:
1. Lower costs
Living alone may prove more expensive than living with a spouse, so why not give yourself as much of a nest egg as possible beforehand? Rather than each of you having to pay for your own attorneys, mediation allows you to share the expense of the mediator, which has the potential to save you a substantial amount.
2. Advantages for children
If you and your former spouse are parents, opting to undergo mediation may benefit the children you share by reducing the stress that may accompany watching parents fight. It may also give your children comfort to watch you both continue to work together for their benefit, even after you decide to go your separate ways.
3. Less stress
The very nature of a courtroom divorce is adversarial, as it creates an “us against them” mentality. Mediation does the opposite, allowing you to put aside your differences and come up with solutions that serve everyone.
If your marriage ended simply because you no longer share the love that you once did and not because of, say, infidelity or mistrust, you may want to consider divorce mediation.
