Getting a divorce is the legal dissolution of the marriage contract, part of which is figuring out child support and paying alimony. Emotions can run high during this time and prevent both spouses from making rational decisions, something that results in drawing out the process.
Engaging in divorce mediation for both types of support is an ideal solution to these financial issues and smooths out the legal process. Both parties come together in a neutral space, have their grievances heard, and get support from their lawyers and the mediator as they work things out.
The Purpose of Mediation During a Divorce
Mediation consists of a meeting between the spouses and their divorce attorneys. All parties sit down together, and discuss their differences of opinion over the topics of child support and alimony. Each spouse has their Nassau County divorce attorney present for the purposes of keeping the proceedings civil and productive. Meanwhile, a third party, known as the mediator is also present during the meeting. Their role is to step in when neither party is working towards an agreement and aid in the creation of resolutions that everyone can agree upon.
What Gets Talked About During Child Support Mediation
When parents divorce, they are no longer considered as a cooperative unit when it comes to the raising of children. Instead, they’re considered co-parents for the sake of dividing the financial support for the needs of their children. Mediation for child support is intended to bring both parties to an agreement over who pays for certain things while the children are still minors. Some of the topics include:
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Co-pays
- Clothing
- Food
- Extracurricular activities
- Schooling
- Claiming children for taxes
The intent behind mediation for child support is to ensure that both parents pay a fair amount of support. For example, a custodial parent can be viewed as having a larger financial burden than a noncustodial parent due to the cost of housing and transportation. In this situation, the noncustodial parent may be asked to pay a little more for support as they don’t have to cover these costs.
Why Mediation is Used to Negotiate Alimony
Every couple’s living arrangements are unique to their situation. It’s true that there are common living arrangements, such as a stay-at-home parent, but how the couple arranges their finances differs greatly. At the core of the issue is making sure that a spouse who requires financial support gets a fair amount to help support their lifestyle.
Alimony is supposed to be used to maintain an expected standard of living, which can mean any number of things in terms of what it pays for. It’s important for both spouses to have a divorce attorney from Hauppauge, NY, to aid in the alimony negotiations. Each party’s lawyer has the job of arguing for their client and protecting them against unreasonable demands.
Mediation Can Deliver Better Results Than the Court
The divorce court has the job of making sure a divorce agreement is properly executed. It’s also a place where emotions can run high, and a judge can get frustrated with the parties. This is especially true when both parties are unable to reach an equitable agreement on child support and alimony. If both parties are still arguing over these details by the time they get to court, the judge has the discretion to make an unfavorable decision for both parties in order to finalize the divorce.
How We Can Help You Find a Resolution to Your Divorce
At the Long Island Center for Divorce Mediation, we want our clients to have the best possible outcome after a divorce has settled. Give us a call today to find out more about the mediation process and how it can save you money on legal fees, reduce stress, and let both of you move forward with your lives.