Equitable Mediation to Open Three New Locations in Bergen County

Equitable Mediation Services announced today that it will now be serving divorce mediation clients in Bergen County, New Jersey in the towns of Paramus, Saddle Book and Hackensack, expanding the number of it’s New Jersey office locations to 12.

Managing Partner and Equitable Mediation founder Joseph Dillon said “I know I speak for everyone here at Equitable Mediation when I say that we’re pleased to be able to assist divorce mediation clients in an office location that’s convenient for them during their time of need and by expanding into Paramus, Saddle Book and Hackensack, we’re able to do just that for Bergen County couples.”

Until recently Equitable Mediation Services focused mostly on Central NJ and the lower part of Northern NJ with office locations in Bedminster, Bridgewater, East Brunswick, Iselin (Metropark), Morristown Princeton, Short Hills, Red Bank and Roseland.  With the expansion into Bergen County and the towns of Paramus, Saddle Book and Hackensack, clients in those areas will still be able to obtain the benefits of mediation in NJ but in a location that’s much closer to their home.  This is especially convenient for those individuals who may live in New Jersey but work in New York City which many Bergen County resident do.

“Our clients come to us from all over the state and up until recently, for those individuals who phoned us seeking mediation services in Paramus, Saddle Book or Hackensack, the best we could do was offer them a meeting in one of our other office locations which for some, wasn’t convenient.  Having these three new office locations is going to make it easier on our clients in Bergen County to get the services they need from a firm they can trust.  We’ve been mediating for a long time and divorce mediation is our full time profession.  Using an unknown firm without Accredited Professional Mediators just isn’t something clients should want to take a chance on.”

Because the laws of the State apply to all clients who are eligible to file for divorce in New Jersey,  Equitable Mediation Services is able to service clients no matter where they live.  Adding three new Bergen County office locations is in line with the Equitable Mediation philosophy of reducing the stress of an already uncomfortable situation by being where the clients need divorce mediation services the most. For information on the new Equitable Mediation Services office locations, please see the addresses below.

• Paramus Divorce Mediation: 140 East Ridgewood Avenue – Paramus, New Jersey
• Saddle Brook Divorce Mediation: (the Park 80 West building)- 250 Pehle Avenue, Suite 200 – Saddle Brook, New Jersey
• Hackensack Divorce Mediation (opening winter 2012) – 401 Hackensack Avenue – Suite 200 – Hackensack, New Jersey

If you have any questions about divorce mediation in NJ or our services, please call us at (908) 864-2177.

Full Mobile Version of Equitable Mediation Services Website Now Available

Did you know that 10% of the visitors to the Equitable Mediation Services website are using mobile devices? In order to make it even easier on our visitors, we have developed a true mobile version of our website that works seamlessly with your Android, iPhone or Blackberry device. Simply visit our regular website at www.equitablemediation.com and you’ll be automatically redirected. Or if you’re one of those folks who are smart enough to access it direct, please visit www.equitablemediation.mobi.  As always, we welcome your feedback and would love to know what you think.  Please call us at (908) 864-2177 with comments or questions.

Even Permanent Alimony Can Come to an End

Alimony in New Jersey is without a doubt the “third-rail” of divorce mediation.  With no formula to calculate it, a series of statutory factors that provide little to no real guidance and the emotions that surround the topic in general all wrapped up in a lousy economy, you can see why any discussion surrounding permanent alimony is fraught with tension and requires special skills that only an Accredited NJ Divorce Mediator like me possesses.   A recent Wall Street Journal article outlined a major change in the state of Massachusetts in which the concept of permanent alimony would be abolished.  It used to be that like here in New Jersey, the person paying permanent alimony would have to go to court and appeal for a “change in circumstances” in order to modify or eliminate the paying of alimony.  And while some of the reasons were pretty clear cut like the recipient spouse got remarried (and even in that case, a trip to court would probably not be necessary) other reasons such as a reduction in salary or commissions, loss of job without the prospect of finding another one anytime soon or cohabitation and what exactly constitutes “living together in a manner as husband and wife” are difficult to determine at best.

Also wrapped up in the permanent alimony discussion is the changing social fabric of our society.  While I will not get on a soapbox and espouse about whether or not the American workforce offers equal pay for men and women, there seem to be more opportunities for women to enter the workforce than ever before and there are more progressive parenting arrangements in which the fathers and mothers of children can be equally responsible for their care thus allowing each parent an equal opportunity to return to or sustain employment in the workforce.   With that in mind Massachusetts felt that a complete separation should be permitted at some point in the future and permanent alimony should eventually come to an end in most cases.

Now does that mean permanent alimony should automatically terminate?  Tough call.  I’m sure there are circumstances that warrant the continuation of some form of support long after the parties have gone their separate ways and that’s where divorce mediation comes in.  While certainly couples use mediation to resolve all of the issues surrounding their divorce, it can also be useful to modify the terms of an agreement you made while divorcing, even if that agreement was many years ago.  Things change, people retire and money comes and goes.  That’s why instead of going to court to request a modification of permanent alimony, it’s always best to seek the services of a NJ divorce mediator like myself who can help you and your ex-spouse come to an agreement you both feel is fair and equitable.  By talking through your issues as they are now instead of rehashing them from way back when, we can come to an alimony agreement that works for both of you in your current situation, not the one you agreed to 5, 10 or even 20 years ago.  And if permanent alimony is still appropriate in your case, let’s talk about it as like with a regular divorce, the decisions you each make surrounding your life are entirely up to you.

If you have any questions about permanent alimony, please give our offices a call at (908) 864-2177 and we’d be happy to help.

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