Disclaimer: This article does not constitute legal advice. If you have any questions about your individual situation it is best to seek the advice of an experienced legal professional.
Your high asset divorce mediation consultation is a chance for you to discuss your divorce with a skilled, financially certified professional mediator. It’s an opportunity for you to outline the issues in your divorce and get an idea of how the divorce will proceed if you decide to go ahead with high asset divorce mediation.
There is no need to be nervous about your initial divorce mediation consultation as it is intended to facilitate you and your goals and give you a chance to share information with the mediator and gather information about next steps in your divorce.
The initial divorce mediation consultation does not represent an agreement or obligation to go forward with divorce mediation, it simply offers a chance to familiarize yourself with the divorce mediation process and to share details of your situation with divorce mediator so they can make recommendations.
That being said, it’s a good idea to prepare for your initial divorce mediation consultation so you can get the best out of the meeting.
During a high asset divorce mediation consultation, the mediator will request information about your assets to determine the best possible solutions for an equitable and smart divorce settlement. Even if your asset portfolio is quite complex, it’s a good idea to outline a general picture of your marital assets during your initial high asset divorce mediation consultation. If there are any issues you and your spouse don’t agree on and need help with, you should disclose these issues at the meeting, so the mediator can sketch out potential solutions.
Children
If you have minor children or adult children, you should also share this information with the mediator, including any relevant issues like your desire to relocate, or whether there are any tuition or college education expenses.
Marital Property
Sometimes you may not be sure whether property you own is marital property, such as if it was acquired before the marriage or if it is inherited property, gifted property, intellectual property, or unvested stock options. If there are any grey areas in your marital property, you can discuss these with your divorce mediator at the initial consultation.
International Property
If you have any international property it’s also a good idea to disclose this at your initial meeting with a high asset divorce mediator. International property division impacts can be complex in terms of tax, appreciation and legal transfer of property.
Marital Agreements (Prenup or Postnup)
If you have any prenuptial agreements or postnuptial agreements you should inform the mediator of these agreements.
How Does the Process Work?
If you have any questions about the divorce mediation process, now is the time to ask them. Divorce mediation is an extremely flexible process that works around your schedule. At Divorce Options San Diego we do remote divorce mediation and offer e-filing services, so you don’t need to attend in person. We proceed by gathering information about your situation and relevant financial documents and then formulating a number of possible solutions that we work on with you and your spouse.
Is Your Spouse in Agreement About Divorce Mediation?
When you start the process of divorce mediation, your spouse should be on board with the divorce mediation process. However, there is no obligation for you or your spouse to go forward after the initial consultation. After we meet with you, you and your spouse sign our letter of engagement and we begin to gather financial information about your situation. We proceed thoroughly and collaboratively by doing a full analysis of your community property and working through any issues you may have with property division, from cash, to real estate, to sentimental items.
Our West Coast Divorce Mediators use fair division mathematics to help couples arrive at a true value for their property. We allow you to tailor your divorce in the best possible way for your situation, which includes community property equalization, spousal support buyouts and any other solutions that may be required to resolve your situation. We work with divorcing spouses both remotely and in person, tailored to your comfort and convenience levels. Our offices are located in San Diego, CA and Silicon Valley, CA. Please contact us to learn more about getting a high net worth divorce mediation consultation.
