It's All About The Money Honey....


We call it Divorce Mediation but we should call it financial re-organization. After all the emotion is put aside we are talking dollars and cents. "As long as I can keep my pension.." was the old male adage usually surrendering the house to the wife in exchange. Of course that was before the real estate boom and the market downturn. The dynamics are different now during negotiations but the rules are the same. The problem is to get the clients to realize it is "all about the money..." Mediation becomes a therapy session where each party needs to "vent" their gripes about their spouse. If I hear it is for "the principle" one more time I will scream! It isn't the principle it is "THE MONEY!!!!!!" Settle it here or spend more of your marital funds later. How do I know when I am doing a good job in a mediation? Neither party is happy. If I have one smiling and one grimacing we might as well go back to square one. The mantra of one of my paralegals is "Mandatory therapy for all matrimonial clients." I am hardpressed to disagree with her. The beat goes on as they say...but the message remains the same.....