Q: I want to do mediation. How do I start?
A: Can you two talk and work together?
Yes;
I charge $1400 (without kids) and $1700 (with kids) for the mediation + court filing fees. We take care of filing the case, we help you with the declaration of disclosure process, and then we work on the settlement and come up with creative solutions and work through a rough draft customized to your case.
Is your wife ready for this, and are you ready for this?
Yes.
I would like to see both of you. I recommend getting it started sooner rather than later.
Q: We fell out of love; we just never focused on each other. My wife and I don’t speak to each other anymore. She was done with the marriage first, but now I am done too. What do I do if I am not certain she will come in for a mediation with me or not?
A: You could schedule a time to meet with her and say “Well I met someone who does mediations and they seem interested in saving us money. I attended their workshop on the 11th and got some questions answered. Perhaps you could check out their next workshop and see how you feel about the process.”
I am all about finessing a settlement. We don’t want to push people into court, especially people who are emotional. This will cause you to lose more money. You can start the process without her if she is not interested at first. We can also give you a script of what to say to her during the process if she doesn’t want to come in.
Q: I have been married for 49 years; stay @ home mom; husband is a retired systems analyst. Both in their seventies. Husband is physically abusive. I think he is cheating on me as well. What do I do?
A: What are your finances like?
I don’t know. I receive a little bit each month from his retirement, but he controls all the finances. I don’t know anything.
File for a restraining order and look for financial paperwork while he is out of the house w/ restraining order. A domestic violence TRO and Kick out Order. Look up financial code 1450 about 3 business day bank account freezes, and make a list of your monthly budget so you can figure out what you need to live on.
OR
You can wait for him to file for divorce; don’t confront him right now and keep a record of what he says and does.
Q: How long does child support come in?
By law, it goes until the child is 18 years old, or until they have graduated from High School. If you are concerned about college funds, google “529 college savings plan” to give you some flexibility.
Do you need help finishing the file process?
Yes.
We can finish off the case with you. We can schedule a consult where you bring in everything you have and come up with a plan. Are you working?
No.
What kind of work are you looking for? We know people who might be able to help.
Q: Can I change what I put on my paperwork? It has been sent to court. I have 50/50 custody of children but I want full custody and child support. He won’t cooperate.
Come in to see me and we will go over paperwork. Bring all documents and your paystub. I will shift things around so it can become a “True Default”.
Bring in a flash drive as well so I can give you some personal development stuff. I highly recommend reading The Slight Edge. The gist of it states that you are the sum of thousands of micro decisions you make over time.
Is this You? Come to our Workshop.
