Top 5 reasons to try divorce mediation

Divorce doesn't have to be an adversarial, knock-down, drag-out fight. Despite what we see in celebrity news every day, divorce can be a relatively painless experience depending on how you and your spouse handle it. Whether you are just considering a divorce or are stuck in the middle of a difficult battle, mediation may be a great way to get through the process with as little difficulty as possible.

In mediation, both spouses sit down with a third party to reach an agreement regarding childcare, property distribution, and the allocation of assets, debts, and liabilities. The mediator has the responsibility of guiding the parties toward a middle ground and avoiding any antagonism. But that's just one of the benefits of divorce mediation; here are five more reasons mediation may be the right solution for your divorce:

1. Cost

Mediation can cut the costs of getting a divorce greatly since you won't both be paying for lawyers.

2. Time

Using mediation to decide on a separation settlement may mean that you get a divorce decree within months rather than years.

3. Stress

Spending less time and money to get a divorce will reduce stress placed on both spouses and on your children.

4. Privacy

Going through private mediation instead of public divorce proceedings means that you won't have to worry about an adverse impact on your reputation, family, friends, or business.

5. Control

Because both parties have input in the settlement, they have greater control over the process. Parties may be more willing to abide by a mediated settlement since the terms aren't simply imposed upon them by a judge.

A final note on mediation

Remember that it's never too late to turn to mediation. Whether you are just discussing the possibility of divorce or you've already hired lawyers, you can enter into mediation. Even if your divorce has already begun, you can still use mediation to work through other issues that may arise after the fact, such as visitation, parenting, and vacation planning with the kids.