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How to prepare for divorce mediation

On Behalf of | Jun 16, 2021 | Divorce, Mediation

When you decide to divorce through an alternative form of dispute resolution such as mediation, you can potentially save money and time. Preparing for your New York mediation can help the process go smoothly as you arrive ready to negotiate with your spouse.

Take these steps to get ready for your divorce mediation session.

Gather documentation

You must bring records of all income, assets and debts to the mediation session. Important documents include:

  • Pay stubs, income tax statements and all other income records
  • Profit and loss statements if you own a business
  • Proof of expenses including credit card bills, student loan bills, utility bills, grocery expenses, health insurance premiums, car loans, and mortgage or rent payments
  • A complete inventory of personal and marital assets including real estate, furniture, jewelry, art, collections, vehicles, bank accounts, investments, credit cards, retirement savings and life insurance policies.

Gathering these items in advance can prevent a delay in the mediation process.

Consider your mindset

Divorce typically comes with strong feelings that may include sadness, anger, fear and guilt. Try to put these emotions inside for the purposes of reaching a fair agreement with your estranged spouse. Having a collaborative mindset can help ease the divorce process and prepare you for a strong coparenting relationship if you have children together.

Entering mediation with a spirit of compromise will help the process succeed. Write down the most positive outcomes for each of the issues in your divorce. Next, write down the likely outcome desired by your spouse. See if you can come to a point of agreement between the two.