Divorce mediation works best when both spouses have accurate information available to discuss and resolve important issues. Arriving with organized records helps you spend more time discussing solutions instead of searching for paperwork.
Here are some of the most useful documents to gather before every session.
Financial records
Many mediation discussions depend on accurate and recent records about your income, assets, debts and monthly expenses. You may want to gather:
- Recent pay stubs
- Tax returns
- Bank account statements
- Retirement and investment account statements
- Credit card balances and loan information
In Georgia, each spouse must fully disclose relevant financial information during a divorce. Having these records available early can make it easier to discuss support, property division and other financial issues fairly.
Property information
Records related to major assets help keep property discussions organized, especially if you need to determine how to divide them between you and your spouse.
Helpful items may include:
- Property deeds
- Mortgage statements
- Vehicle titles
- Business records
- Recent appraisals
Even if you do not have every document, bringing what you have helps identify any information that still needs to be gathered before agreements are finalized.
Parenting and child-related records
If you have children, bringing information about their daily routines can help guide parenting discussions that keep their needs the main priority.
Consider bringing:
- School calendars
- Childcare schedules
- Records of recurring child-related expenses
- Any current parenting schedule you already follow
These can help you discuss schedules and recurring expenses without trying to remember every detail during mediation.
Walk into mediation prepared
Taking time to organize your records before mediation can help each session stay focused on resolving important issues. If you are unsure whether something belongs in your file, ask your attorney before your mediation date. A little preparation beforehand can help you avoid delays and make better use of the time you have to reach an agreement.
