Mediation Process Financial Support Services

Risks of Traditional Mediation or "Kitchen Table" Negotiation

Traditional mediators often lack insights (or desire and ability to provide insight) related to financial complexities of divorce.  As a result, significant risks exist that may not be adequately addressed in a mediation setting. 

Further, natural imbalances in control and education often exist in many relationships with regard to financial aspects which makes "kitchen table" or internal negotiation difficult or one-sided.  

A CDFA can offer significant value in cases where you may have: 

A) Already have secured a mediator, OR

B) Plan to do your own internal "kitchen table" or email negotiations without the facilitation or support of a mediator, AND

C) Financial matters that are of a complexity that warrant a deeper-dive by a divorce financial professional.

In cases where both spouses are aligned regarding the importance of engaging a financial professional as a third-party neutral to analyze potential settlement scenarios for negotiation either independently or with an outside mediator, our Divorce Financial Strategy Packages that do not include mediation can be a great supplementary service. 

In cases where a perceived imbalance of financial control, power or education exists among spouses and both parties aren't aligned to enlist a CDFA as a third-party neutral, one party may engage a CDFA as an expert advocate to help them devise a fair settlement proposal or review potential settlement scenarios prior to final agreement.  This option ensures that the party with a lower-level understanding of financial mechanics does not make lasting and impactful decisions in a mediation setting without having a reasonable level of understanding of the implications of such decisions.  

Our Divorce Financial Strategy Packages include options excluding mediation services that provide excellent support services in these common situations.  Additionally, for focused support needs for external mediation or independent negotiation, our A La Carte Services may help.