What are the benefits of divorce mediation?
The top three benefits of a mediation divorce are:
- costs less than other ways to divorce,
- promptly resolves matters,
- makes divorce as peaceful as possible.
For mothers and fathers, divorce mediation has another important benefit. Divorce mediation helps parents keep—or start to build—a positive parenting relationship.
Divorce mediation costs less than other ways to divorce
In my office, the per family cost of a typical mediation divorce is about $3,500 to $4,900. In fact, about 46% of my cases are resolved for less than $3,900.
Compare this to the per spouse cost of the average Pennsylvania divorce—about $14,300 (Byrnes, Hristina, "The cost of divorce", USA Today, January 21, 2020 citing Nolo nationwide divorce survey).
How are divorce mediation fees paid?
How are divorce mediation fees set?
Tips for keeping cost of divorce
as low as possible
- Communicate with your spouse—A mediation divorce costs less than other ways to divorce, but husbands and wives must be willing to discuss terms together. How to talk with your spouse more peacefully.
- Let go of anger—The ending of a marriage can leave spouses grasping for something to hold on to. They may find themselves holding on to anger. Unless spouses let go of their anger, it may drag them into a costly courtroom battle.
When divorcing spouses recognize that anger is expensive and poisonous, it becomes easier to let go. Their divorce mediator can share common solutions to divorce issues, and help them divorce without setting foot in court.
Working together in mediation, we can keep the financial and emotional costs of divorce as low as possible.
Divorce mediation resolves matters promptly
In a mediation divorce, spouses can discuss and decide divorce terms within days, and sign legal documents within weeks. Compare this to fighting in court, where it may take many months to a year or more to decide matters.
Often, spouses want to shorten the divorce process—to minimize the emotional pain. Divorce mediation can move forward as promptly as husbands and wives may agree. Typically, I can meet within days of a request to mediate.
Pennsylvania law sets mandatory waiting periods for requesting a final decree of divorce, which apply to mediation cases and court cases alike. How much time to get a Pennsylvania divorce decree?
Divorce mediation makes divorce as peaceful as possible
When spouses choose divorce mediation they are trying to reach an out-of-court agreement on divorce terms. Their mediator will help them calmly discuss important—even difficult—matters.
In my practice, about 9 in 10 divorcing couples who try a mediation divorce reach agreement. In Pennsylvania, wives and husbands who reach agreement in mediation can divorce without setting foot in court.
Three tips for a more peaceful divorce mediation.
Divorce mediation benefits for parents
A mediation divorce can be especially useful for parents. Mothers and fathers can decide child custody and child support terms without going to court. Divorce mediation can help moms and dads:
- reduce divorce conflict by deciding child custody and child support matters quickly,
- improve parental communication by calmly discussing and deciding custody and support,
- save money for their family, instead of paying lawyers to fight.
After divorce mediation, many spouses are glad they tried the path of peace for their divorce.