Mediation is a helpful technique in which two parties can come together with a mediator to discuss any divorce-related disputes they’re going through. They will discuss each person’s goals and see if there are any areas in which they overlap.
For situations involving hotly contested issues, mediation has the potential to calm down the conversation and lay out the true possibilities. For example, a mediator may discuss facts about the case with each person and help them see how a decision could affect them in the future.
With child support, conflicts slow the divorce process
It’s simply reality that a conflict will slow down the process of getting a divorce. It could also lead to litigation or having to have a judge decide on a resolution, which takes the control out of your hands. To avoid this, consider mediation instead.
Determining child support is done by looking at state guidelines in California and can be strict, but there are many factors that you should consider. Going through mediation helps give you the chance to be sure that all of your income, debts and other costs are considered, so that you receive or pay only what you are legally obligated to.
Since child support is uniform in California, why not let a judge determine it?
You don’t want to miss any of the factors that affect how much a support obligation will be. For example, you should include facts such as these when you calculate support:
- Travel expenses for visitation
- Union dues
- Tax filing status
- Percentage of parenting time
- The income of both parties
- Daycare costs
- Health insurance expenses
- Property taxes and mortgage interest
All of these factors, as well as others, may impact how much is paid.
Mediation can help you understand your rights and obligations with child support
With mediation, you’ll have time to calculate child support with the mediator and to go over the possible amount you or your ex-spouse will need to pay. From there, you will review options such as adjusting visitation time or health care to make support more affordable and fair for all those involved.