Mediation

Well, I finish my mediation with my STBXW yesterday and feel really getting screwed over the entire mediation. Walking into the mediation, I had standard visitation schedule, plus getting child support money from my STBXW because her affair during the marriage, which resulted in our current divorce proceeding. My income is higher than hers, with my income contributing roughly 65% to the overall community property and her income contributing 35%. Looking at the financial number presented by both side during the mediation yesterday, I was shocked to see that she pretty much spent all her money to the point which her contribution to the community property has been dropped down to 18%, this leads me having to pay her higher than expected in order to achieve the 50/50 property split. I bulked at this, but my lawyer and mediator both say that it will be tough to trace the money she spent, plus I may end up paying more legal and court fee than what I have to pay her right now. If I don't settle, the judge may look unfavorably on me and give her the money anyway. With my higher income, I may lose the child support if the case goes to a different judge. I feel I got caught between a rock and a hard place, none of the options looks attractive. In the end, my lawyer floats the idea giving her some money, not all the money, plus no child support, and she took the deal. I feel so sick in my stomach that I did not really want to sign the document, but getting pushed by my lawyer and the mediator as the best deal possible. So much for working hard and saving more, basically two thirds of my saving went to her, awarding her for the cheating and lavish spending on her part. Had I known this, I would spend all my money as well. What a rotten day! :-(

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