What Divorce Mediation Offers for Spouses who Already Agree on Terms
Uncontested Divorce Mediation
Posted March 24, 2021
Divorce is a unique experience for everyone. While conflict divorces are highly televised, many people split quietly and agreeably with their ex. It didn’t work out, the fire is gone, or you have irrevocable differences that simply don’t result in screaming and fighting over assets. Maybe you have a reasonable prenup that both of you plan to stick to. Maybe you sat down and simply talked out all the practical issues of separating and agree on all or most potential divorce terms. In these cases, it’s pretty clear that you don’t really need two divorce lawyers to ‘fight for you’ against each other. But you’re also not personally a legal professional with training to tackle the court-side aspect of getting divorced.
This is one of the many unique circumstances where Denver divorce mediation is your best option. Why do you need a mediator if you already agree? Aren’t mediators for spouses who are arguing and need a neutral tie-breaker? Not necessarily. A divorce mediator is effectively one legal professional working for both spouses toward the same goal. A divorce mediator is there to help you build a divorce that is fair, legal, and benefits both parties in the long-term.
When two spouses agree on how they want to split assets, child custody, and everything else, a divorce mediator is there to fill in the gap between good intentions and a finalized, well-written divorce agreement. Join us as we walk through the ways that a divorce mediator can improve your already amicable agreement to everyone’s long-term benefit.
Clarify Your Divorce Plan
Many amicable divorce plans actually overlook a great deal. It’s easy to get caught up in what you agree on and with no major disagreements, there’s also no one going through your planned divorce policies with a fine-tooth comb. Your divorce mediator i there to make sure you cover all your bases by filling out your choices on divorce details that you may have not yet discussed with your ex.
They will also help both parties confirm that the terms discussed are really the terms preferred, ensuring that no pressure or coercion has led to your existing agreements. In other words, your mediator will do an all-points check to build a complete and fair divorce agreement from the choices you and your ex have already made.
Cover Your Legal Bases
It’s one thing to sketch out your agreements and asset split in a divorce. It’s another to arrange this in a way that is legally acceptable in the eyes of local laws and legally binding in a submitted divorce document. You don’t have to be a lawyer to achieve an agreeable divorce because your divorce mediator can take care of the legal considerations for you.
They will analyze your finances, assets, child situation, and the agreements you have planned to make – then ensure that your finalized terms fall within legal boundaries and will be accepted by the court when submitted.
Answer Questions and Clarify Misunderstandings
If you have any questions about the divorce process or how you’re legally permitted to structure your divorce agreement, just ask. Denver divorce mediators are there to answer questions and create clarity before terms are finalized. Your mediator has tackled dozens to hundreds of previous divorces and knows the subject matter inside-and-out. They can answer any questions you want to ask initially and any questions that arise in the course of hammering out your divorce in the mediation room.
Resolve Remaining Disagreements
Just because you agree on most things doesn’t eliminate the possibility of a few disagreements. Maybe you know how you want to split the finances but are not fully settled on child custody. Maybe you have one lingering dispute about who takes a particularly meaningful or valuable piece of shared property. Our Denver divorce mediators specialize in resolving disputes between exes to reach the best possible conclusion. Your mediator will be fair, considering and talking about both sides until everyone comes to a solid agreement on previously disputed issues.
Make Sure the Finances are Mathematically Fair
In most states, divorce finances have to go by the book. Primarily, you will likely be expected to split the finances 50/50 or close to this amount for your divorce to be considered financially balanced and legally acceptable. For spouses that have already agreed on how to split the assets, discovering your math isn’t quite fair can be a shocker.
It helps to lay everything out on a spreadsheet, splitting each asset to one side or the other and ensuring that both sides are balanced when you’re done splitting it up. Liquid cash or money from selling non-sentimental assets can be used to split the difference if you’ve already each chosen the physical items and accounts you’d like to leave with.
Assist with Long-View Divorce Terms Planning
Not all divorces work in the long-term Rigid divorces can become punishing when either party’s circumstances change years in the future. Your divorce should be a freedom, not a burden. Your divorce mediator will tailor the terms in the agreement to ensure that the divorce is written to uplift and free both spouses instead of trapping either into inflexible terms that can become a problem years from now when jobs and living situations change.
Put Together a Resilient Child Custody Agreement
If you have children in the marriage, you will want a child support plan that will grow up with them. Your divorce mediator will help you think not just about the kids in the moment, but how to build a divorce plan that supports your children as they grow. Your kids may be small now but will eventually become pre-teens and teenagers with different schedules and expectations. You will inevitably need to adapt visitation and custody patterns to fit the lifestyle changes that occur naturally as children grow up. Your mediator has handled many custody agreements and plans, so can help you write terms that are resilient, fair, and future-ready.
Draft Legally Admissible Divorce Documents
Many people divorcing agreeably will try a DIY divorce procedure, only to have their final document rejected by the court after submission. Legal documents are not simple and writing a legally acceptable divorce is more complex than the DIY templates make it seem. A Denver divorce mediator will not only make sure your terms are within legal bounds, they will also draft the actual document so you can be sure it is properly constructed with all the legal expertise of a divorce lawyer without the drama of actually hiring divorce lawyers.
Handle Submitting Your Documents to the Court
Last but certainly not least, your divorce mediator will make sure that final draft gets to the right courthouse and through the submission process so that your divorce can be successfully finalized.
What does Denver divorce mediation offer to exes who agree on all the terms? Clarity, legality, assured fairness, and the convenience of legal drafting and document submission. Contact Split Simple today to find your divorce mediator in the Denver area. We look forward to hearing from you and will do our best to help build the ideal divorce agreement for you and your ex’s long-term success apart.