Category Archives: Divorce 2 | Eileen Coen, JD Family and Divorce Mediation
An Expert’s Advice on Insuring Child Support & Alimony
People typically know that the cash value of a Whole Life insurance policy can be a marital asset and subject to division on divorce. But term life insurance and disability insurance are often overlooked in divorce negotiations since they accrue no cash value. That’s a big mistake, especially when there is child support or… Read More »
Does “Mediator Certification” Matter?
Yes and No. In the mediation world, practitioners debate whether mediators ought to be certified and, if so, how to do it. Some courts allow only “certified mediators” to be placed on court rosters, but most simply require that mediators have completed a 40-hour training class. And in the private sector, there are no… Read More »
Getting Out of the Emotional Rut: Finding the Road to Peace
Divorce is one of life’s major traumas. On the famous Holmes and Rahe stress scale, divorce is the second biggest stressor after the death of a spouse. At the same time, the trauma of divorce usually goes hand-in-hand with other stressors on the scale, ranging from moving out of the family home to facing… Read More »
Want to Avoid a Long Divorce?
The 17-year long divorce proceedings of two law professors in Ohio have been highly publicized in the news recently. While their protracted case made headlines, most of us have heard a story or two about a horrible divorce that went on for years – and years. Here are some of the issues a couple,… Read More »
Five Tips for Dating During Separation
So you and your spouse are separated. You’re living in your own place. Your spouse is living somewhere else. You’re waiting out the requisite year of separation to file for divorce, but you’re feeling antsy to move on with your life, to meet someone else, to date. … It’s not unusual at this juncture… Read More »
The Role of Conflict Coaching in Divorce Mediation
What do conflict coaching and mediation have in common? Like mediation, the conflict coaching process is voluntary, confidential, and involves a neutral facilitator to address ways to resolve conflict; divorce mediation helps two or more people arrive at mutual agreements whereas conflict coaching helps one party understand and manage conflict.
Your Essential Guide to the Divorce Mediation Process
As a divorce mediator serving families in Maryland, Washington, DC and Virginia, I frequently receive inquiries about divorce mediation, like this one: Dear Eileen, My spouse and I want a non-adversarial divorce and we are looking for an experienced Maryland divorce mediator to help us. Can you tell me how the process works, how… Read More »
Private School and Divorce Economics
When the increased costs of maintaining two households strain the family’s budget, parents face the arduous task of making unwelcomed economic decisions. For divorcing parents whose children have been attending private school, one of the trickiest is whether or not to continue paying tuition. On the one hand, parents want to minimize the impact… Read More »
How to Get A Divorce: When Being “Right” is Wrong
Many people begin the divorce mediation process with at least one thing in common: Both parties want their divorce to be cooperative, quick, and cost-effective. That’s what they say at the outset and, I believe, that’s what they truly mean. However, once the negotiations begin, well-meaning people can fall into a trap that deepens… Read More »
7 Reasons Your Spouse Might Agree to Divorce Mediation
I can’t tell you how many times I receive phone calls from people seeking an uncontested divorce in Maryland, DC, or Virginia, but don’t know how to get their spouse to participate in mediation. Maybe the spouse is too angry or hurt or skeptical to try mediation. Maybe they already have a lawyer who… Read More »
