Susanna Long Family Mediation | Family Mediation SW London | Divorce Mediation Tooting | Family Mediation Tooting

Mediating about financial arrangements

The starting point in financial mediations is to exchange financial information with one another with the help of the mediator. This provides a firm foundation from which to then discuss options for a financial settlement; reality-test your proposals to ensure they are fair and workable; and, if you have children, to ensure that their needs are met. The court will need your financial information to make any agreement you reach legally binding, so it is very important you disclose everything fully and honestly, or the court may not approve it.

Having these discussions in mediation is not easy or comfortable. Resources that were just enough to support one household may struggle to support two and you may both find yourselves worse off financially, at least to start with. But mediation is generally cheaper and quicker than negotiating through solicitors, and often less conflicted. And because you are communicating directly with each other, and gaining a better understanding of each other's perspective, the solutions you reach are likely to be more collaborative, tailored to your circumstances, and something you can both live with.

Couples with children may want to mediate both child and financial arrangements. The mediator will help you to prioritise what you want to talk about first. In practice, there is often movement between topics where they overlap (for instance, where your children live may be impacted by what housing you can afford between you) or where urgent issues arise.