The Cost of Mediation: More Than Just Money

When people call our offices and ask about the cost of divorce or mediation, they usually are focused on the dollar amount that their mediation will require but what they don’t realize is that in many cases the emotional costs far outweigh the financial costs. Sure I can quote you statistics about what your checkbook will look like before and after divorce mediation but have you ever stopped and given any thought to what your life might look like before and after divorce mediation versus before and after a traditional divorce? I’m sure you can find at least one of your friends or co-workers who used lawyers to litigate their divorce and someone who used a mediator to mediate their divorce. I’d be curious what each of them would have to say about their experiences. Something tells me those who litigated would say no matter what financial price they paid, it simply wasn’t worth the cost while those who mediated would report a much more peaceful and naturally cost-effective divorce.

No matter what route you decide to take, make sure you factor all of the costs into it, not just money because at the end of the day, you’ll want to be left as whole as possible both financially and emotionally.