How much does mediation cost?
The basic fee for divorce mediation is $90 per hour per person, if the parties are financially separated, or $180 per hour per couple if they are still financially together (eg. using same check book or living in same household, etc.). This fee can be adjusted on a sliding scale, based on household income. At NVMS we don’t want the cost of mediation to be a barrier to reaching a collaborative agreement that will support your efforts to improve your lives and the lives of your children. If you feel our basic fees are too high, please ask our Mediation Coordinator to look at our sliding scale to see if he can lower your costs.
Most mediators (including those at BLC) charge on an hourly basis for their time. In the Boston area, the cost of mediation services ranges from approximately $100/hour to $800/hour. Some mediators charge on a per diem basis. At BLC, the range of fees for mediation services is $200/hour – $500/hour, depending on who the mediator is. Click here for more specific BLC rates. For low-cost community mediation services, click here and see the directory. Starting September 1, 2006, an adminstrative fee of $200 per party will be charged for all family mediation and arbitration cases and a fee of $250 per party will be charged for all commercial mediations and arbitration cases. For arbitrations that go beyond two calendar days of hearing, there is an additional administration fee of $50/day per party.
All of the mediators on the Co-Parenting Mediation roster have agreed to offer their services at the reduced rate of $80.00 per hour. This fee is payable directly to the mediator at the end of the session. A sliding fee schedule is available to parents who financially qualify. Parents must complete and return the Income Survey form BEFORE their scheduled mediation if they wish to be considered for a reduction or waiver of their fee. Late or incomplete surveys will not be accepted. Many of the Co-Parenting Mediation roster mediators offer payment plans.
