We offer divorce mediation and document preparation services to couples living in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. We are available in other jurisdictions by request.
About Us
Deborah Beylus, CDFA
Deborah Beylus is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator specializing in the financial and
co-parenting issues that are unique to divorce.
Financial Expertise
With over thirty years of banking and financial industry experience, Deborah is able to quickly gauge each couple’s financial landscape and assess the strengths and weaknesses of their positions. As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Deborah is committed to sharing information that helps couples avoid long-term regret with financial decisions made during the divorce process. Her clients benefit from her ability to analyze financial data, develop budgets, and manage financial expectations,
Mediation Philosophy
Deborah is an attentive listener who works diligently to reach mutually agreeable resolutions. She believes that the vast majority of disputes can be settled with patience, persistence, and follow up. By creating a collaborative process and a forum for communication, Deborah empowers divorcing spouses and enables them to use their strengths to reduce the trauma of divorce. Her goal is to help each couple divorce amicably and equitably. She is known for her “hands on” evaluative approach and has established her reputation as an effective mediator who is sensitive to the needs of the children of divorce as well as the needs of their divorcing parents. Deborah is comfortable handling high conflict divorces, high dollar divorces, modifications to existing agreements, and paternity cases.
As your mediator, Deborah’s goal is to help you avoid the strain and expense of adversarial litigation. As such, she will handle every aspect of your divorce and help you and your spouse come to a mutually acceptable agreement over issues such as:
- Child time-sharing
- Division of your assets and debts
- Child support
- Spousal support/Alimony
Elinor Robin, PhD
Elinor is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator specializing in professional and personal relationship matters. She is licensed as both a Mental Health Counselor and a Marriage and Family Therapist. Dr. Elinor has a background in small business; a PhD in Psychology, with a specialization in Conflict Management; and a wide range of experiences from within the family, civil, criminal, and juvenile courts.
Born and raised in New York, Elinor has lived in Florida for over 30 years, spending much of this time working within the legal system. She is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediation Trainer and has trained over 13,000 people, nationally and internationally in mediation. Additionally, Elinor has mediated thousands of divorces, successfully assisting in conflict management and transformation.
Elinor’s work as a mediator is geared towards encouraging the navigation of transitions from the current circumstances towards the ideal ones. This work lets her tap into what she’s learned from her own and others’ life experiences.
Mediation
Mediation is an informal and confidential process of assisted problem-solving and negotiation. The mediation model that we use at A Friendly Divorce was designed to make the transition of divorce easier and less expensive. Typically, attorneys are not included as a part of the process; however you can consult with an attorney and/or a CPA prior to signing your agreement and forms.
Document and Form Preparation
We will prepare your Marital Settlement Agreement, which describes how you will handle your money, and your Parenting Plan, which describes how you will co-parent your children. Additionally, we will fill out the other necessary forms you will need to obtain an uncontested divorce. After your documents are signed, we will file them with the court.
Our Process
Depending on the issues and the personalities involved, our process typically involves two, three or four meetings. Each meeting runs from one to three hours. The length of time between meetings varies and is determined by your schedules and preferred pace. Often, the process will be combined with some individual telephone or email consultation.
Our Pricing
Dissolution of Marriage/Divorce with minor children $3800
This fee includes up to eight hours in session (meeting in our office, by phone, or on Zoom), preparation of your Marital Settlement Agreement and Parenting Plan, preparation of the standard paperwork/forms needed for filing an uncontested dissolution of marriage/divorce, and reasonable telephone and/or email communication throughout the process.
Dissolution of Marriage/Divorce with no minor children – 6 hours in-session – $2800
This fee includes up to six hours in session (meeting in our office, by phone, or on Zoom), preparation of the standard paperwork/forms you will need to file for an uncontested dissolution of marriage/divorce, and reasonable telephone and/or email communication throughout the process.
Dissolution of Marriage/Divorce with no minor children – 4 hours in-session – $2300
This fee includes up to four hours in session (meeting in our office, by phone, or on Zoom), preparation of the standard paperwork/forms you will need to file for an uncontested dissolution of marriage/divorce, and reasonable telephone and/or email communication throughout the process.
Payment Options
We accept checks, cash, and credit cards. Half of your fee is due at the first session and half at your second session.
Additional/Alternative Services
We can customize our services to meet your needs. Please let us know what you need.
Additional Charges
If you need complex documents, like a QDRO (which is used to divide certain types of pensions) or deeds prepared we will refer you to outside legal resources.
Currently, the Clerk of the Court charges a $408 filing fee for filing a dissolution of marriage. Once your agreement and forms are filed with the Clerk of the Court your case can be set for a final hearing as an uncontested dissolution of marriage.