As a process driven and controlled by the parties involved, mediation has the potential for very significant savings in costs. Beyond monetary savings, the costs of emotional strain, including that of any children involved can be considerably less than those usually associated with the conflicts of a contested divorce.

      The costs of mediation will be determined by the mediator's fee rate and the time involved for mediating and drafting of the written agreement. South Suburban Mediation's hourly rate is normally between $150/hr and 240/hr, however a reasonable sliding scale may apply.

     Other predictable costs are a court filing fee and, a fee for each parent (of minor children) for a state mandated Parent Education Program. These fees are subject to change, but at the time of this site edition they are $215.00 for filing and $50.00 each for parent education training.

      For many straightforward situations, the number of mediation sessions (1 to 2 hours each) will be minimal.

     If outside specialists such as attorneys, financial consultants, etc. are utilized, the related costs would of course be in addition to mediation.