There are many decisions that must be made when you are getting a divorce. These tend to be common to most people- what is happening with your kids, house, bank accounts, retirement funds, credit card debt, etc., or how much will I pay/receive in alimony (spousal support) and child support? There are many more than this as well. And we cover all of it during the process of divorce mediation. You don’t miss out on anything by using a divorce mediator rather than a divorce attorney. But there can be an extra layer of questions to address when you have a child that has special needs. And we address these concerns too to help you make sure your child is being taken care of now and in the future.
And while we address these needs in divorce mediation there are steps you must take outside of mediation to follow through on the agreement. Does your child have a special needs trust? Who will be the guardian of your adult child if you pass away? Have you applied for disability? Who is paying for what (therapy, dietary needs, doctors, activities, etc.)? Do you have to set up an ABLE account for child support payments? Who is being notified of the IEP meetings? We can ask all of these questions but it is up to you to implement the answers. And if you are not sure how to do this or whom to speak to, we can point you in the right direction.
The divorce mediators at Westfield Mediation can add this extra layer of plans into your Memorandum of Understanding agreement. If you say nothing in your divorce agreement about the requirements for your child with special needs, then you may have problems in the future if you and your co-parent are in disagreement about something. It is better to have these particulars areas covered in your agreement and not need it, then need it and not have it.
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
And while we address these needs in divorce mediation there are steps you must take outside of mediation to follow through on the agreement. Does your child have a special needs trust? Who will be the guardian of your adult child if you pass away? Have you applied for disability? Who is paying for what (therapy, dietary needs, doctors, activities, etc.)? Do you have to set up an ABLE account for child support payments? Who is being notified of the IEP meetings? We can ask all of these questions but it is up to you to implement the answers. And if you are not sure how to do this or whom to speak to, we can point you in the right direction.
The divorce mediators at Westfield Mediation can add this extra layer of plans into your Memorandum of Understanding agreement. If you say nothing in your divorce agreement about the requirements for your child with special needs, then you may have problems in the future if you and your co-parent are in disagreement about something. It is better to have these particulars areas covered in your agreement and not need it, then need it and not have it.
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