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Affordable Divorce Mediator Palm Springs

Are you looking for an Affordable divorce mediator in Palm Springs? A Fair Way Mediation has been providing affordable divorce help services for over 30 years! We’ve helped 100s of couples throughout the Palm Springs to get a peaceful divorce without having to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to come to an agreement. Divorce mediation has become the premier alternative to expensive divorce attorneys.

For a no cost consultation, please fill out our Start Evaluation form or give us a call!

619-985-2357

For many couples, divorce proceedings are traumatic and exacerbate the heartache of their loss. Because the justice system is built to be adversarial, it encourages conflict, and that conflict often results in anger and a worse relationship with your spouse.

The divorce process does not have to be an adversarial process. Collaborative Divorce is designed to help you and your spouse to work together toward a healthier, out-of-court divorce settlement. Rich has been an advocate of the Collaborative Divorce process in San Diego for over 30 years. Collaborative Divorce uses an interest-based negotiation structure that saves time, stress, and expense.

Divorce Mediation Services

A Cooperative Process In a Collaborative Divorce, each spouse has their own attorney. The Collaborative Divorce team includes a neutral financial professional, divorce coach and when needed a child specialist. The team helps the couple to resolve all issues in the divorce. In a series of team meetings, the couple will make decisions on these and other issues:

Child Support
Property Division
Retirement Distribution
Spousal Support
And even Pet Mediation!

The Benefits of Collaborative Divorce

A Collaborative Divorce process has many advantages, especially when compared to traditional litigated divorce:

Privacy

The mediation divorce process is confidential. Since the agreement is negotiated in private rather than in court, most personal information is not submitted to the court's public record files and there are no court appearances where the details of the divorce are made public.

Time

The mediated ivorce process works on your schedule and not the courts’ schedule. This means that you can move through a Collaborative Divorce process more quickly than one that involves scheduled court appearances. It is also a process that allows you to proceed at your own pace, recognizing the need of some to go a little slower.

Cost savings

Mediation fees are lower because of the reduced attorney time required. Additional cost savings are accomplished with the use of a financial professional and divorce coaches. These experts typically have a lower hourly rate than the attorneys. The financial neutral serves both parties whereas in a litigated divorce both parties would typically hire their own financial experts.

Less emotional turmoil

Mediation helps the divorcing couple work with each other to resolve the case rather than working against each other. This results in a lower level of stress and conflict than would occur if the case went to court. Divorce mediators work with the couple to improve communication and help each spouse manage the difficult emotions that are common during a divorce.

Mediation Articles

A NEW BEGINNING: THE BENEFITS OF DIVORCE MEDIATION

Divorce is an emotionally challenging chapter in many people's lives, that often comes with tension, disagreements, and uncertainty about the future. While the process can be adversarial and draining, there's an alternative that offers a more peaceful and constructive approach to resolving differences: divorce mediation. This method is gaining popularity due to its numerous benefits for couples navigating the complexities of separation.

COLLABORATE OR MEDIATE.. THAT IS THE QUESTION!

Most people who want a divorce would like it to be easy and affordable. Couples, especially those with children, want a divorce that is acceptable to them, their children, and their family members as well. Litigation can drag on and on and is expensive. When there is children involved, couples most likely put their children’s needs first and choose the type of divorce that leads to a reasonable and acceptable resolution without any time-wasting theatrics. Collaborative or Mediation divorce are often successful for families that want a straightforward and kind divorce that keeps a couple, with or without children, on good terms.

About A Fair Way Mediation

As one of Southern California's top divorce mediators, A Fair Way Mediation has helped 100s of couples to obtain an affordable and peaceful divorce without going to court. We save our clients thousands of dollars in litigation fees and specialize in all forms of divorce mediation including military divorce and same sex divorce mediation. Our divorce mediators are skilled in all the facets of mediation and will guide you through the process. We provide divorce mediation services for couples throughout San Diego, Palm Springs, Riverside County and Rancho Mirage, Temecula, and Cathedral City.

For a no cost consultation, please fill out our Start Evaluation form or give us a call!

619-985-2357

Divorce Mediation Questions

How much is divorce mediation compared to divorce litigation?

Many couples turn to divorce mediation as opposed to litigation because of costs. Generally, the average cost of a mediated divorce is $3500 - $7000 (depending on the complexity of the case). With lawyers, the costs can easily exceed $25,000+ (per person).

How long after mediation is divorce final in California?

On average, the divorce is finalized within a few months with the courts. The timeline is based on a variety of factors including the complexity of the issues involved in the divorce, the court’s caseload, and whether it’s contested or uncontested. Once the agreement has been reached, the divorce mediator will prepare the final paperwork to be filed with the court.

Do I have to go to court with divorce mediation?

No. This is another primary reason couples choose mediation over litigation. All discussions will be settled out of court, once the agreement has been made you will simply submit the final paperwork to the courts which your divorce mediator will prepare. Discussions in mediation are kept private, when the case ends up in court it becomes a public record.

In a California divorce, what issues can divorce mediation cover?

An experienced divorce mediation firm can cover a wide range of issues related to a divorce including: Division of Property: mediation helps couples divide their marital property, including debts and assets that have been acquired during the marriage. Child Support: through discussions, mediation can assist in determining the amount of spousal support to be paid to one spouse or the other. Spousal Support: can help determine the amount and duration of spousal support payments (if any). Retirement Accounts: mediation also helps couples divide their retirement accounts and pensions. Debt: divorce mediation can assist couples in resolving issues related to marital debt (credit cards, loans, mortgages). Business Partnerships: mediation can also help divide any business interests that have been acquired during the marriage. Pet Mediation: while not as known, mediation can also help with pet custody and support during the divorce process.

What is the difference detween divorce collaborative divorce and mediation?

Collaborate divorce and mediation are both methods that can be used in place of a traditional litigated divorce. Each methods helps couples come to a mutual agreement and avoid court. There are a few key differences between the 2 alternatives. Collaborative Divorce: Is a process where each spouse hires their own “collaboratively” trained attorney to work with them and a team of professionals, attorneys and therapists, for example. Mediation: this is the process where a neutral 3rd party (the mediator), works with both spouses to facilitate discussions and ultimately reach a final agreement. Mediators do not represent either party, they help couples identify the issues and generate options for a peaceful resolution. Key Difference: In a collaborative divorce, both parties may have their own team of professionals who work with them to find resolutions. Whereas, a trained mediator doesn’t have a team of professionals and can handle all of the aspects of the divorce.

How is child support determined in a divorce case?

Within the State of California, child support is based on a statewide guideline formulate that takes in a few different factors. Each Spouses Income: the formulate considers each parent’s income from all sources, including salary, wages, bonuses, commissions, and investments. Custody Agreement: this is the amount of time that the child or children spends with each parent (timeshare). In general, the more a parent spends with the child or children the less support they are required to pay. Childcare Expenses: if either parent pays for childcare expenses, such as daycare, those expenses are factored in to the child support calculations. Health Insurance: if 1 parent provides health insurance coverage for the child, the cost of that is factored in to the support calculation. Miscellaneous Expenses: other expenses that may be considered in the calculation include educational needs or special needs, transportation costs, or any other expenses.

What are the benefits of divorce mediation?

There are a variety of benefits to divorce mediation as opposed to litigation, here are just a few. Overall Costs: in comparison to litigation, mediation is much less expensive. The average cost of a mediated divorce is around $3500 - $7,000, the cost of a litigated divorce can easily exceed $25,000+ with lawyer fees and court costs. Less Stress: divorce mediation is designed to provide a peaceful environment to work out the issues, minimizing the level of conflict between the parties. More Control: with divorce mediation couples have control over the outcome of the divorce. They work together to come to an agreeable settlement that meets the unique needs and circumstances of their situation as opposed to a judge making the final decision. Quicker Process: the average time for divorce mediation from start to finish is around 3-8 weeks depending on the complexity of the case and the couples ability to communication.

Do we have to meet in person or can we mediate online or phone?

No. You do not have to meet in person. Discussions can be done over the phone or via online video chats such as Zoom or Skype.

How do I start the divorce process?

With divorce mediation, since mediators act as a neutral 3rd party and does not represent either spouse, it’s recommended to discuss with your spouse before exploring options. We offer a free 30 minute consultation to answer any questions you may have while also gathering information as to how we can help!

What is pet mediation and How does this work in a divorce?

While it may seem odd to many, pets are members of the family, and just like any other issues that need to be discussed, pet mediation in a divorce discusses custody and visitation of the pets. Learn More About Pet Mediation