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The Divorce timeline

6/21/2019

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Sometimes couples come to divorce mediation in a hurry to get through the process.  Maybe they have been thinking about it for a long time, and now are ready to just get it done. They may have financial or emotional reasons to finish quickly.

In other cases, couples move slowly – taking their time through the steps to make sure that they know how they want their agreement to look, or spacing out the appointments in a way that works for their budgets. Sometimes it takes a while for both spouses to get on the same page, so there are delays of weeks or months as they move forward.

For clients who go through divorce mediation at Westfield Mediation, LLC, the process generally takes 4 - 6 sessions with a mediator.  Most people schedule the meetings 2-3 weeks apart, to give themselves time to gather information and materials, and to think about things.  In our experience, it can be useful to have some down time in between sessions to give yourselves time to consider the issues and your options.  After the divorcing couple reaches an agreement, they have to file with the Court and wait for a hearing with a judge, which adds another two to three months to the process.

So how long does divorce mediation take?  Start to finish, the divorce mediation process can be as short as a few weeks or as long as several months. Divorce mediation can move more quickly than litigation because you have the advantage of working together with one mediator which naturally speeds up the process.  But, really, the overall pace depends on you.

For more information about 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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THE DETAILS OF ALIMONY

6/7/2019

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Spousal support, more commonly known as alimony, is not an automatic given in a divorce. The details need to be worked out.  In New Jersey there are four categories of spousal support: open durational, limited duration, rehabilitative and reimbursement.  Open durational and limited duration are the more common types of alimony. You can receive a combination of types of alimony, such as limited duration and rehabilitative, depending on your set of circumstances. 

Open durational is for marriages longer than 20 years and generally can last until the person paying it reaches full retirement age.  Limited duration is for a set amount of time.  Rehabilitative and reimbursement spousal support are less common. Rehabilitative is to help pay for the recipient spouse’s schooling that needs to be completed to help him/her get on his/her feet after the divorce.  For example, paying for a certificate program or to finish a college degree so that you can effectively enter or re-enter the workforce and start fully supporting yourself.  Reimbursement occurs when one spouse helped pay for the other spouse’s advanced education during the course of the marriage but now will not be married to that person to reap the rewards of the education.  For example, if you paid for your spouse’s law school while you were married and then get divorced upon his/her graduation, reimbursement spousal support is to pay you back for your outlay.

At Westfield Mediation, LLC, the professional divorce mediators can help you address all the terms of spousal support.   No matter what type of alimony applies to your situation, you need to determine the terms of payment- how much and how long. Will you pay by check, direct deposit, once a month, per paycheck, once a year?  Will you pay for 3, 5, 7, 18 years?  Are you paying the same amount each year or is there a step-down process?  Each divorce is unique and the mediators can help you figure out what works best for your new future.
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To learn more about spousal support 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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