Mediation is an ideal tool to resolve the terms of your divorce and allow your family to move forward in the most positive and healthy way possible. Mediation has many benefits over litigation including a significantly lower cost, less time required, faster outcome and a better chance for long term success. Mediation empowers both parties to negotiate from equal positions, find common ground and illustrate to the children that compromise is possible. Mediation works well even for divorces with high conflict and the court system also encourages all couples to try it before going through the court system.
Divorce Mediation to Settle your Divorce
Johnson Mediation provides divorce mediation and other divorce and parenting support services to families in the Minnesota area who are looking to resolve the terms of your divorce with less stress and more control over the process. Here are the steps you can take to develop, create and submit a mediation plan or a divorce agreement.
1. Decide on your mediator: You should view hiring a mediator like you would any partnership. Ask questions, see if you and your ex feel comfortable talking to him/her and asking questions. While your mediator will not make the decisions related to your divorce settlement, they will guide you through the process and establishing trust and a good rapport is important.
2. Familiarize yourself with Minnesota law: Minnesota is a no-fault divorce state meaning that you do not need to prove that your spouse did anything wrong in order to have your divorce granted. Your mediator will be able to explain other nuances of Minnesota law.
3. Gather financial documents: Now is a great time to gather your financial documents including bank statements, retirement and investment account information, and any other information about your joint financial assets or debt. You will need these documents during the settlement process.
4. Catalog your belongings: Another important step as you look toward creating your divorce settlement is to catalog your belongings so that you can begin to think about how to fairly and equitably divide them when you separate.
5. Think about your priorities: Your divorce settlement is all about compromise, so you will want to think about your priorities, where your kids are concerned as well as your joint property. This is one of the most important things that you can do as you think about developing your mediation plan.
Nothing can take away the stress of divorce on you and your family but working with an experienced mediator can help you put your family first and manage the process smoothly. For more information about working with us to develop your mediation plan, call us at 952-401-7599.
