More and more couples facing divorce are discovering the value of a professional mediator: a way to end the marriage amicably and respectfully, and usually at a much lower cost than attorney fees. So how much does divorce mediation cost?
We put the question to lawyers and mediators in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and elsewhere, and gathered their answers on what divorce mediation costs.
The answers are summarized in the table below. Please note that the prices shown are not binding; they reflect average market prices.
In this article we cover how much divorce mediation costs on average, 9 things you should know before starting the process, and why mediation before divorce pays off.
How much does divorce mediation cost – here are sample prices
| What is the service? | Price
|
| A consultation hour or meeting with a mediator. | Between 800 shekels – 1200 shekels + VAT on average.
|
| A consultation hour with a mediator who is also a lawyer.
|
At least 1000 shekels + VAT, and sometimes more.
|
| When the couple comes to the mediator in full agreement.
|
Only a few meetings are needed. In this situation most of the work is drafting the divorce agreement. |
| Drafting a divorce agreement.
|
Between 7,000 shekels and 15,000 shekels on average, depending on the nature of the agreement and the lawyer’s seniority and experience.
|
| When there are disagreements between the couple, but relatively mild ones.
|
Mediation will cost between 10,000 shekels and 20,000 shekels + VAT, depending on the depth of the disputes and the number of issues on the table.
The price usually also includes drafting the divorce agreement.
|
| When there are sharp disagreements and significant gaps between the couple.
|
In a drawn-out divorce, the cost of mediation can reach 30,000 shekels + VAT on average, depending on the number of meetings required. The price also includes drafting the divorce agreement.
|
How much does divorce mediation cost – 9 things you need to know
The rates mediators charge almost always cover both spouses together.
In principle, the total cost depends on how many hours it takes to complete the process.
The length and number of sessions vary from couple to couple, according to their circumstances and needs. The more assets and the more emotion involved, the more sessions the process will take and the longer it will run.
The better known, more reputable, and more experienced the mediator you choose, the higher the hourly rate.
If the mediator you choose is also a lawyer practicing family law, the fee per meeting will be higher than with a mediator who is not a licensed attorney. On the other hand, a mediator who is also a lawyer will fold the drafting of the divorce agreement into the mediation fee, which comes out cheaper than having a divorce agreement drafted by an outside lawyer who took no part in the mediation.
The answer to the question of how much divorce mediation costs is not just a list of rates. It is also the emotional toll that court hearings will take on you if you skip mediation. In court, the price the children pay is much higher still.
In pre-divorce mediation the couple can speak openly and without fear, air what each side wants in a calm atmosphere, and reach agreements on all the issues a divorcing couple faces, such as child custody, child support, division of property, and more.
If the couple does not reach an agreement in mediation, they can always go back to the courts, whether the Family Court or the Rabbinical Court, and nothing said during the mediation can be used against them in the legal proceedings.
Mediation is a confidential process, unlike litigation, which usually takes place in a courtroom open to the public.
How much does divorce mediation cost, and why is it worth turning to mediation?
Mediation before divorce has several advantages:
It reduces the psychological damage a divorce can cause, it limits the financial damage, it shortens the time between the decision to divorce and receiving the get, it lets parents and children cooperate in good faith after the divorce, and it prevents fights between the spouses, which in turn spares the children, and more.
In summary, how much does divorce mediation cost – much less than litigating in court!
There is more than one answer to the question of how much divorce mediation costs. One answer is about the financial cost; another is about the emotional price paid by the spouses and children involved. By either measure, the price will always be lower than if you skip mediation and choose to fight it out in court.
