How to Handle Divorce Mediation Payment
Video Transcript
Divorce mediation costs are most often split 50/50, but courts or agreements can require an income-earning spouse to pay a larger share. Payment is typically based on fairness, access, and each party’s financial ability, especially when one spouse has little or no income. This article explains common fee arrangements, reimbursement, and how to address payment in the mediation agreement.
Ray Hrdlicka – Host – Attorneys.Media
So, who pays for the cost of a divorce mediation?
Bill Leininger – Divorce Mediation Attorney – Staten Island, New York
Great question. Common sense. If we have a house husband or a housewife and they’ve been taking care of their kids, maybe the most important job either one has, and the other person is out working six days a week, making 0,000 a year, does it make any sense to say, oh, you each have to pay 50% of the fee?
The answer would be no, unless there’s a joint bank account, which is accessible by the parties. In that case, it may be from a joint bank account. But ordinarily, we’ll do it pro rata. You know, if someone has a part-time job, you know, while the kids are in school, they’re making $10 an hour, maybe $300 a week, and the spouse is making $200,000 a year. You may want to have the person with the part-time job paying 10 or 20% to have skin in the games.