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Divorce Mediation and the Coronavirus

1/22/2021

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As the Coronavirus has turned everyone’s life upside down, it has also impacted divorce mediation. Luckily, the divorce mediation process is designed to be adjustable and to minimize stress during difficult times.

So how have things changed?

For one, the new normal has demonstrated how important is to have a flexible divorce agreement. The agreement that we create in divorce mediation allows for changes to the parenting schedule to account for new issues like remote/hybrid school schedules and the unpredictability of outside-of- school activities. In addition, our agreements incorporate plans for how to proceed with alimony and child support in the short term and the long run, if the couple’s incomes change, or one or both parents lose their jobs.

Two, swings in the economy from the pandemic have also impacted the division of assets and liabilities. Over the past year, the whole country’s economic situation has changed significantly with record unemployment as well as huge stock market gains. Thus, many people’s income has become less dependable. At the same time, for some families, their retirement and other investment accounts are up. Similarly, the housing market in the suburbs has gotten very hot, so it’s a good time to sell a marital home, but not necessarily an easy time to find a new affordable place to live. All of these economic issues are considered and addressed in divorce mediation.

Three, with divorce mediation going virtual, clients do not need to be limited by location in picking their divorce mediator. Now, regardless of where you live in the state, divorce mediation can be equally convenient, opening up new options for divorcing couples who no longer have to travel to sessions or worry about baby-sitting.

Divorce mediation has long provided a better alternative to litigation. The roller coaster of the past year has demonstrated the continuing benefits of the divorce mediation process.  
For more information on divorce mediation, please contact Randi M. Albert, JD, or Michelle Weinberg, M. Ed. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, at Westfield Mediation, LLC, at 908.913.0373.  View our website at www.westfieldnjmediation.com or email us at info@westfieldnjmediation.com
 
 
 
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DIVORCE, FINANCES AND THE NEW YEAR

1/8/2021

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The new year is a good time to take a look at your finances, especially if you are considering getting a divorce in 2021.  Are you now wishing you spent less on the holidays as your credit card bills are rolling in?  Did you have more/less in your bank account than you thought?  What is a reasonable monthly budget amount and what expenses does it cover?  What is the value of your retirement account? These are financial concerns that you might not think about on a daily basis.  You work hard, earn your paycheck, contribute to your 401(k) before your net pay is direct deposited into your account, and then you pay some bills.  Somehow it all works out in the end.  Or does it? Maybe you think it does because your spouse led you to believe this, but in reality there is a ton of debt to deal with.  Maybe your pension is worth way more than you thought.

Going through a divorce forces you to take a close look at all of your day-to-day finances and your overall financial picture.  It may feel very overwhelming, especially if you were not the person in the household to deal with any of this.  At Westfield Mediation, LLC, the divorce mediators help you break down your day-to-day finances and all of your assets and debts (house, retirement funds, bank accounts, mortgage, credit cards, student loans, etc.) into small digestible helpings of information throughout the divorce mediation process.  Divorce mediation helps you move at your own pace in a confidential manner.  Mediation promotes a more amicable relationship with each party contributing to the final decisions. 

It is not wise to go through a divorce with your eyes closed and hope for the best.  You need to be a part of the process.  If you never dealt with any finances before, then now is the time to get familiar.  A divorce mediator can explain each step in a clear, easy to understand manner, to help you address each piece of the financial puzzle.  It is never the wrong time in your life to start taking control of your financial future.  Divorce mediation can help you do that. 
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For more information on divorce and divorce mediation, please contact Randi M. Albert, JD, or Michelle Weinberg, M.Ed,. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, at Westfield Mediation, LLC at 908.913.0373.  View our website at www.westfieldnjmediation.com or email us at info@westfieldnjmediation.com.  
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    Authors

    Michelle Weinberg, M.Ed.,LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with many years of experience working with couples.

    Randi M. Albert, JD, is an attorney with experience in family law and public service.

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