Belacord - A more human way of resolving relationships.
 

Belacord is about a more human way of resolving relationships.
We give couples the tools they need to gain clarity, control
the process, solve disputes, and, if needed, to complete a legal
dissolution or divorce.

Resolve your relationship issues and explore your options. Your first call to your Belacord Guide is free. 1-855-Belacord (855-235-2267).

Where does your relationship stand now?

Our relationship
needs serious help.

I'm worried our
relationship might
not work out.

I recognize that
our relationship
is over.

I already know I
want divorce mediation.

 

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Belacord helps resolve
relationship issues.

Belacord is about a more human way of resolving relationships. We give couples the tools they need to gain clarity, control the process, solve disputes, and, if needed, to complete a legal dissolution or divorce.

  Call a Belacord Guide | First Call Free | 1-855-Belacord (855-235-2267)

In other words, you’re thinking that if your relationship doesn’t get help, the relationship itself is in jeopardy.

Below you’ll find some of the fundamental questions people in your situation commonly ask. You can also Call a Belacord Guide to answer your questions.

~ What are my options for finding help?

There are a variety of professional resources you can turn to for help in resolving relationship issues (see list below). If you do seek such help, you won’t be alone. According to the US Census and other reports, over 750,000 couples seek help from a marriage or family therapist in the US each year.

The most common resources people turn to are:

LICENSED COUNSELORS
There are several types of counselors, including licensed psychologists, marriage and family therapists, counselors, social workers, psychiatrists, and other therapists. Below are some of the categories of professional, licensed counselors who are trained to work with individuals or couples to help resolve relationship challenges. Most of these professionals are skilled in helping different-sex or same-sex couples. Most are also trained to deal with related issues, such as substance abuse, depression, and anger management.

You might choose to work with a counselor alone, or you might invite your partner to see a counselor with you. A counselor can suggest ways to heal your relationship, and help you and your partner reach an agreement about whether or not it’s time to end the relationship.

Two of the most common licensed counselors people might turn to are:

LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER
Licensed clinical social workers(LCSWs) generally have a master's degree plus 2 years of supervised experience, and have passed a state exam. If you have health insurance, you might be eligible to use it for counseling sessions with those LCSWs who accept insurance.

MARRIAGE OR FAMILY THERAPIST
Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) have a minimum of a master’s degree and two years supervised clinical experience. If you have health insurance, you might be eligible to use it for counseling sessions with those MFTs who accept insurance.

You can find referrals to a variety of different kinds of counselors at the following websites:

http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/
http://www.therapistlocator.net
http://www.helppro.com/nasw/Default.aspx
http://www.networktherapy.com/directory/find_therapist.asp
http://locator.apa.org/

In addition, many states have listings of licensed counselors on their state regulatory board websites, which are all listed here (http://www.helppro.com/resources.aspx)

MINISTER RABBI OR PRIEST
Some people prefer to consult a religious advisor about their relationship issues. Others rely on both secular and religious advisors for the different perspectives they provide.

The best religious adviser to consult is likely the one who knows you best – the one who’s congregation you belong to. If you don’t already have such a relationship, or if you’d rather talk to someone else, then ask a trusted friend, who you know can keep your question confidential, to recommend someone.

MEDIATOR
Mediation is a system of conflict resolution that involves a neutral, unbiased third-party professional to help resolve issues. There’s a chance you could work with a mediator to resolve certain issues in your relationship. Especially if your relationship problems arise from concrete (vs interpersonal) issues like financial challenges, a mediator can help untangle the situation and propose solutions. Anything that you think could be solved by negotiation could probably be solved by mediation.

If you still have questions you can always Call a Belacord Guide for more help.

~ Can you refer me to a counselor?

Belacord doesn’t make direct referrals to counselors, but we can point you toward some useful online resources that can help you find a counselor that’s right for you.

http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/
http://www.therapistlocator.net
http://www.helppro.com/nasw/Default.aspx
http://www.networktherapy.com/directory/find_therapist.asp
http://locator.apa.org/

In addition, many states have listings of licensed counselors on their state regulatory board websites, which are all listed here (http://www.helppro.com/resources.aspx).

If you’d like help in deciding what to do next, you can also Call a Belacord Guide.

~ Can mediation help in healing our relationship?

Mediation is a system of conflict resolution that usually involves a neutral, unbiased third-party to help resolve issues. (Unless it’s a self-mediation system). There’s a good chance you could use certain mediation techniques or work with a mediator to resolve certain issues in your relationship. Anything that you think could be solved by negotiation could probably be solved by mediation.

But mediation is not therapy or counseling. Here are some ways in which the two systems differ:

• A mediator works toward a clear agreement between a couple about how they will deal with specific issues. A counselor works toward helping a couple gain a better self-understanding of their individual behaviors.
• A mediator recognizes and acknowledges each person’s feelings, but is not interested in exploring those feelings. A counselor is basically far more interested in how people feel about issues and relevant experiences.
• A mediator is interested in agreement in how the couple would like to see things in the future, and not in deeply understanding past events. A counselor may need to understand each person’s past to discover the origins and patterns of each person’s beliefs and behaviors.
• A mediator needs both members of a couple present so there can be face-to-face negotiation. A counselor may not see both members of a couple at the same time. • A mediator is required to always be neutral. A counselor might take on a more supportive role.
• Mediation only works if both members of a couple are ready to negotiate. Counseling can work even if one person is not ready or willing to change.
• Mediation is a more structured process that is usually limited to a certain number of sessions. Counseling tends to be far more fluid and open-ended, based on the needs and progress of the couple.

Many relationship issues are driven by conflicts around finances, household workload, child-rearing roles, and a host of negotiable problems. In these cases, mediation can be a relatively quick and effective method of resolving conflict. But if a great deal of emotional wounding has occurred, or if the issues are not out in the open, counseling might be the better place to start.

If you’re still not clear which path is best for you, you can always Call a Belacord Guide.

~ How can a Belacord Guide help me?

A Belacord Guide is someone you can talk to about your relationship. You can ask them questions, and they will do their best to give you answers. They're especially good at answering questions about counseling, mediation, and divorce because that's what we do here at Belacord. And, even if our Guide can't answer your question, they will help you find a resources that will. With the help of a Belacord Guide, you can quickly educate yourself about your relationship options.

But maybe you don't know where to start. A Belacord Guide can help you figure that out too. Everyday, people asking themselves tough questions about their relationship call in, and our Guides work with them to find a resolution. You can imagine that they've seen a lot of different problems. That they've gained quite a lot of experience. That experience is at your disposal when you work with a Guide. They can help you put things into perspective, and they can help you understand the implications of your decisions.

The first thing a Belacord Guide will do is listen. We task our Guides with understanding your unique needs and offering recommendations based on those needs. A Guide's recommendation could be reading through a list of books and articles, researching some professional options you weren't aware of, or completing activities designed to clarify your thoughts. Whatever a Guide recommends, it will be their advice for you. We don't believe that there is one "right" answer for every relationship. A Belacord Guide helps you find the right answer for you.

If you continue to use Belacord, you will choose a Guide to be your personal Guide. Your Guide will take care detail, like account creation, while you focus on things that only you can do. We have created a calendar tool that you can use to schedule regular conversations. However, if for some reason you need to talk to a Guide immediately, you can use the Call a Guide button to speak with someone. They wont be your Guide, but they will do whatever they can to help you.

Click Call a Guide to speak with a Guide right now. They will help you get started finding the path to resolution that's right for you.

In other words, you’re not completely certain your relationship is over, but you sense that it might be. You’re probably wondering how to make a decision, and what the implications might be either way.

Here are a few of the basic questions people in your situation often ask. You can also Call a Belacord Guide for help.

~ How do I know when to end a relationship?

That’s a question that cannot be answered by anyone but you. Not that we’re trying to dodge the question, but it is totally inappropriate for anyone to tell you whether or not you should end your relationship.

Having said that, most people rely on some sort of professional help in getting to an answer. That’s understandable. It’s a complex and challenging question. It’s a very important question. And it takes time and effort to understand all the issues involved.

The two most common resources people turn to are:

A counselor or therapist.

A minister, rabbi, priest, or other religious leader.

Some people rely on both kinds of advisers for the different perspectives they provide.

The best religious adviser to consult is likely the one who knows you best – the one who’s congregation you belong to. If that doesn’t work, then ask friends to recommend someone else.

If you decide to consult a counselor or therapist, ask a trusted friend for a recommendation. If that’s not possible, you can find many couples counselors to choose from at the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy.

You might choose to work with a counselor alone, or you might invite your partner to see a counselor with you. A counselor can suggest ways to heal your relationship, and help you and your partner reach an agreement about whether or not to end the relationship.

If you’d like to talk with someone about these options, you can always Call a Belacord Guide. For more information on this topic, see Belapedia.

~ What are my options if I don’t want it to end?

There are many different professional resources you can turn to for help in trying to heal your relationship (see list below). If you do seek such help, you won’t be alone. According to the US Census and other reports, over 750,000 couples seek counseling from a marriage or family therapist in the US each year. If the information below isn't enough, you can always Call a Belacord Guide for help.

The most common resources people turn to are either a licensed counselor or a religious advisor, or both.

LICENSED COUNSELORS
There are several types of counselors, including licensed psychologists, marriage and family therapists, counselors, social workers, psychiatrists, and other therapists. Below are some of the categories of professional, licensed counselors who are trained to work with individuals or couples to help resolve relationship challenges. Most of these professionals are skilled in helping different-sex or same-sex couples. Most are also trained to deal with related issues, such as substance abuse, depression, and anger management.

You might choose to work with a counselor alone, or you might invite your partner to see a counselor with you. A counselor can suggest ways to heal your relationship, and help you and your partner reach an agreement about whether or not it’s time to end the relationship.

Two of the most common licensed counselors people might turn to are:

LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER
Licensed clinical social workers(LCSWs) generally have a master's degree plus 2 years of supervised experience, and have passed a state exam. If you have health insurance, you might be eligible to use it for counseling sessions with those LCSWs who accept insurance.

MARRIAGE OR FAMILY THERAPIST
Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) have a minimum of a master’s degree and two years supervised clinical experience. If you have health insurance, you might be eligible to use it for counseling sessions with those MFTs who accept insurance.

You can find referrals to a variety of different kinds of counselors at the following websites:

http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/
http://www.therapistlocator.net
http://www.helppro.com/nasw/Default.aspx
http://www.networktherapy.com/directory/find_therapist.asp
http://locator.apa.org/

In addition, many states have listings of licensed counselors on their state regulatory board websites, which are all listed here (http://www.helppro.com/resources.aspx)

MINISTER, RABBI, OR PRIEST
Some people prefer to consult a religious advisor about their relationship issues. Others rely on both secular and religious advisors for the different perspectives they provide.

The best religious advisor to consult is likely the one who knows you best – the one who’s congregation you belong to. If you don’t already have such a relationship, or if you’d rather talk to someone else, then ask a trusted friend, who you know can keep your question confidential, to recommend someone.

MEDIATOR
Mediation is a system of conflict resolution that involves a neutral, unbiased third-party professional to help resolve issues. There’s a chance you could work with a mediator to resolve certain issues in your relationship. Especially if your relationship problems arise from concrete (vs interpersonal) issues like financial challenges, a mediator can help untangle the situation and propose solutions. Anything that you think could be solved by negotiation could probably be solved by mediation.

If you still have questions you can always Call a Belacord Guide for more help.
Not certain which is right for you? You can always call one of our Guides for professional help in answering your questions.

~ How can a Belacord Guide help me?

A Belacord Guide is, first and foremost, someone who is experienced in helping people understand their options, even when they’re not quite certain yet about what they want to do. Your Guide will be able to answer several of your questions during your first phone call--that’s because they’ve been through this before with many others.

Your Guide will also point you toward resources within Belacord that can help you gain clarity and understanding and allow you to think about issues at your own pace.

Whether you decide you want to work to save the relationship, or whether you decide it’s time to draw it to a close, your Belacord Guide is always there to consult with you.

If you’re interested in individual or couples counseling, your Guide can steer you toward local lists of certified counselors. If you’re interested in mediation, your Guide can explain how that works and refer you to Belacord-approved mediators. If you just want to understand all your options, your Guide can help you navigate the wealth of information contained in Belacord.

It’s amazing how helpful a real person on the other end of a phone line can be. Click Call a Guide now to talk with a Guide who can help you find the path to resolution that is right for you.

~ Inspiring stories of people who started where I am.

It’s not uncommon to experience some confusion and doubt when deciding whether to end a relationship. For many people, reaching an answer is a lengthy process. Here are a few Stories of people in a similar situation who used Belacord to gain clarity and resolve their relationships. The names are fictitious, but the stories come from Belacord clients.

In other words, it’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when -- and how. You've decided it's time to draw your relationship to a close. You probably want to understand what options are available to you.

Here are a few of the fundamental questions others in your situation often ask. The answers will help you choose from the different tools at your disposal. You can also Call a Belacord Guide to answer your questions.

~ What are my options for ending our relationship?

DIVORCE
If you and your spouse are legally married in the US, then you must present your petition for divorce before a judge in a court of law. The laws of the state where you and your spouse reside at the time of divorce will govern the proceedings. Typically, petitions for dissolution of marriages are heard by judges within the family division of the county court.

The court will make the final decision about a divorce agreement, including the assignment of property, debts, custody and support. The court may ratify an agreement reached privately by the couple, but in the end, the court determines the terms of the divorce.

There are a variety of ways to approach this. In any case, the divorce must be certified by a court of law to become effective.

UNCONTESTED DIVORCE
One option is to negotiate an agreement in advance with your spouse and file for an uncontested divorce. Up to 95% of divorces in the U.S. are uncontested because both members of the couple manage to reach an agreement (either with or without mediators or lawyers) about assets and property, children and support issues. When the couple can agree and present the court with a fair and equitable agreement, approval of the divorce is almost guaranteed.

If you and your spouse cannot come to an agreement, you may ask the court to decide how to divide property and debt, assign support, and deal with the custody of any children. This might be necessary, but the courts would prefer couples to come to an agreement before entering court.

A mediated agreement, whether self-mediated or created with the help of a mediator, is one of the best ways to maximize your control over the outcome, rather than turning over control to the courts. It’s also one of the most cost-effective ways of divorcing, and helps to limit the negative impact on both the couple and their children.

DIVORCE LITIGATION
This is the path you want to avoid: divorce court. This is when each person hires their own attorney and then battles it out in front of a judge. It is a long and costly process, involving a court trial and all the tasks of discovery, making your financial records public, and fighting between two adversarial attorneys who take over representing your interests. Neither of them wants to lose. And you end up footing the bill.

The average cost of divorce in the US is $15,000 and it can go much, much higher. But apart from the financial costs, there are the emotional costs, especially if you have children. It is a divisive and toxic process. And in the end, it is the judge and the courts that make the decisions about who gets what, who pays what, and where the children go.

If you resort to litigation you essentially give up control over some of the most important decisions of your life, and you are legally bound to accept the court’s decisions.

CIVIL UNION OR DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP
Like marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships are governed by the state in which you reside. And just like a marriage, the dissolution of a civil union or domestic partnership must be approved by the courts to be legal. You fundamentally have the same two choices facing a married couple: do we negotiate a private agreement and present it to the courts for approval? Or do we litigate. To understand the implications of both, see Divorce above.

UNMARRIED COUPLES
If you are an unmarried couple, you may have an oral or a written agreement or contract about the sharing of financial interests and property. On the other hand, you may not. In either case, if you have a long and complicated relationship with shared assets and property, you will need to come to an agreement about how to part ways.

What you want to avoid is one or the other bringing a law suit in civil court. In this case, you do not have to have court approval of an agreement to divide assets, as do a married or a civil union couple. But if you find that you are disagreeing on aspects of the dissolution, then you have two basic choices.

You can either mediate, using the services of a professional mediator or by self-mediation, or you can run to your lawyers. In the first case, you are attempting to find an equitable and reasonable solution, either in light of your contract or agreement or in light of what seems fair. In the second, you are trying to force the other member of the couple to agree to your own interpretation of the what is agreed upon or fair.

Mediation is a viable option. As long as both parties are willing to try to reach an agreement, you will be protecting exactly the assets you are seeking to divide by spending far less money to dissolve your relationship. You will also be avoiding the emotional hardships that come from an adversarial resolution.

If you each turn to attorneys, you will be spending a considerably greater amount of time and money to reach a resolution. If you end up in civil court, odds are great that neither of you will be happy in the end.

~ What are the legal issues that must be addressed?

Whether you are legally married or in a civil union or other legal relationship, the same fundamentals apply. A court must approve a legal dissolution of such relationships. So when we speak of divorce you'll find that the process is similar for any legal union.

Divorce is a legal procedure in which a judge or another authority dissolves the bonds of matrimony between two married people, thus restoring them to the status of being single and allowing them to marry others. The legal process for divorce decides issues around the dissolution of the relationship, including spousal support, child custody, child support, distribution of property, and division of debt.

Divorce laws in the United States vary by state. In some jurisdictions, divorce requires a person to claim some kind of fault on the part of their partner that leads to the breakdown of the marriage. But even in jurisdictions which grant "no fault" divorces, a court may still consider the behavior of the two people when dividing property, debts, evaluating custody, and assigning support.

No-fault divorce on the grounds of "irreconcilable differences" is now available in all states. Many states (North Carolina, New York) demand a one-year legal and physical separation before a formal divorce is granted. This has created a new, legal category of people who are not married but not divorced.

In most jurisdictions, a divorce needs to be certified by a court of law to become effective. The court has the right to determine the terms, but they often take into account prenuptial agreements or postnuptial agreements. If a couple works on a divorce agreement before going to court, the judge will usually ratify the terms of such agreements. This approach is highly preferred by the courts.

If a couple can’t reach an agreement, it leads to a contested divorce, which is a stressful, long, expensive and adversarial litigation. When children are involved, governments have a strong interest in making sure that disputes between parents don’t spill over into the family courts. All states now require parents to file a parenting plan when they legally separate or divorce.

~ What are the roles of a counselor, mediator, and attorney?

Counselors
A counselor is a trained professional who can help couples manage many issues as a relationship is dissolved. They’re particularly helpful at managing the emotional issues. Like a mediator, it’s not the counselor’s job to take sides. The counselor will be concerned with helping both members of a couple hear each other’s concerns and issues and relate to each other in a human and non-hurtful way.

While a counselor can give you communication tools to make the dissolution of your relationship as healthy as possible, a counselor is not a mediator and is not equipped to work out all the details of dividing assets and resources. If both members of a couple are willing to give counseling a try, it could be an extremely useful adjunct to working with a mediator.

Counselors are also excellent for recommending how to stay aware of the children during a divorce or dissolution. They can help with ideas about how to tell the children in the first place, and they can help you anticipate and respond to the emotional challenges the children are likely to experience.

A counselor is one more resource for keeping the divorce or dissolution of your relationship civil and respectful.

MEDIATORS
A mediator is trained to see two points of view and find a way for those two points of view to come together and agree. Mediation differs from the traditional adversarial approach of lawyers and the courts. Instead of each member of a couple getting their own advocate and then battling it out, mediation is about one impartial person bringing two people to accord.

A mediator is often a trained attorney who spends either some or all of their time mediating. A mediator never takes sides. It is the mediator’s job to see both sides, and then offer proposals when both sides can’t seem to agree. Mediators are also good at helping each person see and understand the other person’s view. Mediation is all about agreement through understanding and acceptance, rather than victory through battle.

Whereas a counselor deals with emotions and communication tools, a mediator deals with issues around the division of assets and resources. Therefore a good mediator understands the financial implications, as well as the legal implications, of divorce. In mediation, neither member of a couple ends up getting everything they want. But they do end up making reasonable trade-off decisions to get close to what they want.

In the end, the mediator’s aim is to help two people reach a fair and equitable agreement. An agreement that’s good for both of them, and good for the children or anyone else directly affected by the divorce.

ATTORNEYS
In the classic divorce proceedings, each member of a couple retains an attorney to represent them in the dissolution of the relationship and the division of the assets and resources. The attorney’s job is to defend his or her client’s interests and gain as many concessions as possible from the other side.

It is fundamentally an adversarial system, where two attorneys essentially fight for their client’s respective interests. Divorces or dissolutions of relationships that follow this model tend to take a lot of time and cost a lot of money. That because it is fundamentally a battle to win, and neither attorney wants to lose.

Contrast this with mediation, where the professional skills (in this case, one mediator) are applied toward reaching an agreement, not in defeating each other.

There are certain situations, usually involving highly complex property, asset, or custody issues, when working with attorneys and the courts is the necessary solution. Other times attorneys are called for because of an acrimonious or adversarial relationship between the two partners, or a refusal by one or both to negotiate. This is by far the most expensive path to take. But if mediation isn’t feasible, it’s likely to be the right path. More information on Attorneys in Belapedia.

~ How can Belacord help me?

Belacord is a safe, private space where people like you can examine their options for ending a relationship, research the pros and cons of each option, and start to put together a plan. It is also the place where you and your spouse or partner can actually do the work of bringing your relationship to a close.

First off, we have real people you can talk to. You can Call a Belacord Guide and get a 30 minute consultation for only $30. Your Guide will answer many of your questions during your first phone call and set up your Belacord account.

When you purchase one of our Belacord Plans, your Guide will help you open up a private online space (called My Room) where you can begin sorting your thoughts and gathering information. Your Guide can help you understand how it works, and point you toward helpful articles from the Belacord Library and definitions from Belapedia. My Room is completely private and password-protected. Nobody can see into it without your permission.

When it’s time to start actually working on an agreement with your spouse or partner, you can upgrade your plan so that your partner will have his or her own My Room. You’ll also get a private shared online space (called Our Work Room) where both of you can share and comment on issues and your final agreement document.

We offer three different plans that lead to a legal divorce agreement. The purchase of any one of these plans qualifies you to set up My Room and start organizing your thinking and using a number of Belacord tools. You can read about our Services.

In other words, you’ve examined your options and you’ve determined you want to work with a mediator. Done decision.

Here are the main questions people in your situation tend to ask. If you don’t find the answers you need, or if you want to switch from reading to talking, you can always Call a Belacord Guide.

~ How can Belacord help me find a mediator?

Belacord has a large pool of approved mediators. If you haven’t worked with us before, you can click on Call A Guide, and one of our Guides will help you to select the proper Belacord plan and then set up a relationship with a mediator. If you’re already a Belacord client and have a Belacord Guide you work with, this is the person you should contact.

All of our mediators are certified professionals who have met Belacord’s high standards and have been accepted as part of the Belacord mediator system. Many of these mediators are practicing attorneys who also mediate, or post-career attorneys and judges who have devoted themselves to mediation in retirement.

Since our Belacord Guides are experts at matching people to the right resources, they’re the ideal person to help you find the mediator who’s best suited to your needs and location.

You can then purchase your mediation through Belacord to get a pre-negotiated, discounted price on an entire mediation package. This gives you all the amenities of both the Mediated Plan and its pre-requisite, the Guided Plan for Two, including eight hours of consultation with your mediator, plus unlimited conversations by phone (and email) with a Belacord Guide.

You also get all the Belacord online tools (My Room, Our Work Room, etc) to help you to do research, identify issues, and work with your mediator to divide assets and financial resources and reach a legal agreement.

For more information, see Belacord Mediated Plan plus Guided Plan for Two.

~ What else can Belacord do for me?

Belacord is a private place for engaging a private matter. It is a resource for conducting your own personal research and thinking as well as a resource for you and your spouse or partner to use in reaching a clear and concise dissolution agreement. As someone who already wants mediation, you may not have a lot of questions about what to do, but you may have a lot of questions about how to do it.

Besides offering a place to work with your mediator, Belacord gives you a vast array of information right at your fingertips (articles from the Library, definitions and explanations from Belapedia, etc.). You’ll have your own private online space in which to store and process all this information (My Room), and so will your spouse or partner.

My Room is your private place away from the rest of the world—a place to draft lists, make notes, read documents, and collect your thoughts. You'll set one up when you purchase a Belacord plan. It’s password protected so no one can see into it without your permission. From here, you can send and receive messages with your spouse or partner, your Belacord Guide, and your mediator.

You and your spouse or partner will also have the added resource of Our Work Room, a place to post drafts of agreements, lists of issues to resolve, and notes about discussions with your mediator. This is your common, shared work room. It’s also password protected.

Both My Room and Our Work Room, and all the tools they come with, are included in any of the Belacord plans (see more here).

~ How can I help my partner understand the value of working with a mediator?

The average cost of divorce in the US is $14,000. That’s average. It’s perfectly common for a divorce to cost two or three times that much -- or more. The plain truth is, a litigated divorce is expensive, drawn-out, and exhausting. It can also be highly traumatic when children are involved.

The best and most affordable alternative to the traditional adversarial divorce court scenario is to mediate. If you already want to work with a mediator, you probably know this. But now you need to explain the benefits of mediation to your spouse or partner.

If you two are still on reasonably good terms, the best thing to do is set aside some time to discuss this at leisure. An unhurried conversation is the best way for your partner to digest what you’re saying, and to ask questions. The key here is to help them understand that a mediator takes no one’s side.

Explain to your spouse that a mediator is a neutral third party who happens to be highly skilled in helping people reach agreement. A mediator also has the expertise to know the legal, financial, and emotional issues that need to be addressed. Proper use of a mediator will most likely mean the quickest and least expensive resolution of your relationship with maximum control in your hands – and not in the hands of a judge.

The alternative – divorce court – means you will both sacrifice control of the outcome as well as a lot of time, money, and sleeping at night.

If your spouse or partner will have a hard time hearing this from you, perhaps you could suggest a visit to Belacord.com. Sometimes a person needs to read several articles by several experts before they feel comfortable making a decision. That’s OK. That’s why we developed the Belacord Library and Belapedia.

~ How do I explain Belacord to my partner?

Here's Belacord in a nutshell:

You might explain to your spouse or partner that Belacord offers an alternative to the traditional divorce procedure. Rather than members of a couple each hiring an attorney to negotiate on their behalf and battling it out in divorce court, Belacord can be used by couples to either self-mediate a solution or to use a neutral third-party mediator to help reach a mutual agreement.

Belacord never takes sides. Neither our Guides nor our mediators are working for only one member of a couple. Instead, Belacord gives people a private place to research their options, understand the consequences of different options, and work toward finding a solution that’s agreeable to both people. We also give you a real person you can talk to for advice and guidance, our Belacord Guides.

Unlike divorce attorneys, Belacord has no stake in a couple dissolving their relationship. If you and your spouse or partner want to use our tools and resources, including our Guides and our mediators, to find a way to reconcile and continue the relationship, we are more than glad to help.

But if you do decide it’s time to end your relationship, Belacord will give you the tools, the space, and the people who can help you reach an agreement in more civil manner than divorce court. When the average cost of divorce in the US is $14,000 (or much more), Belacord offers a lower-cost option that leaves the control and power in your hands, not in the hands of a judge.
 

  |   Neither Belacord nor any of its guides will provide legal advice to you. Please click to review your legal rights. © 2011, Belacord.com All rights reserved  |  

Get Started: Talk to a Belacord Guide

Your first 30-minute call is free. 1-855-Belacord (855-235-2267)

Belacord Guides are real people—professional, trained guides who can guide you toward reaching resolution. They can answer specific questions about your relationship situation and help you understand your options.

  • Talk to a real person
  • Schedule calls at your convenience
  • Contact Guides by phone or email
  • Purchase additional time as needed

For more information see our Ask a Guide plan, or call us anytime.

  |   Learn more about how we protect you.Terms of Consultation

Belacord Universal Terms of Service Agreement

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS OF SERVICES & LEGAL NOTICES ("THIS AGREEMENT") CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THE Belacord.com WEBSITE (the "Site" or "Belacord"). This Universal Terms of Service Agreement (this "Agreement") is entered into by and between Belacord, Inc., an Oregon corporation ("Belacord") and you, and is made effective as of the date of electronic acceptance. This Agreement sets forth the general terms and conditions of your use of this website (this "Site") and the products and services (collectively, the "Services") found at this Site, and is in addition to (not in lieu of) any specific terms and conditions that apply to the particular Services you purchase or access through this Site.These terms explain your (and our) rights under this Agreement, and make certain disclosures required by the law. By using the Site, you give your assent to the terms of this Agreement. Your use of the Site signifies that you have read, understand, acknowledge and agree to be bound by this Agreement. If you do not agree to these terms, you may not use the Site. Belacord, Inc. ("We" or "Our") has the right, in our sole discretion, to modify, add, or remove any terms or conditions of this Agreement without giving individual notice to you, by posting the changes on the Site. Your continuing use of the Site signifies your acceptance of any such changes. The terms "you", "your", or "User" refer to any individual or entity who accepts this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to confer any third party rights or benefits. This Site and the Services found at this Site are available only to Users who can form legally binding contracts under applicable law. By using this Site or the Services found at this Site, you represent and warrant that you are (i) at least eighteen (18) years of age and/or (ii) otherwise recognized as being able to form legally binding contracts under applicable law. If you are entering into this Agreement on behalf of a corporate entity, you represent and warrant that you have the legal authority to bind such corporate entity to the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, in which case the terms "you", "your", or "User" shall refer to such corporate entity. If, after your electronic acceptance of this Agreement, Belacord finds that you do not have the legal authority to bind such corporate entity, you will be personally responsible for the obligations contained in this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the payment obligations contained in this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the payment obligations. Belacord shall not be liable for any loss or damage resulting from Belacord’s reliance on any instruction, notice, document or communication reasonably believed by Belacord to be genuine and originating from an authorized representative of your corporate entity. If there is reasonable doubt about the authenticity of any such instruction, notice, document or communication, Belacord reserves the right (but undertakes no duty) to require additional authentication from you.

1. Disclaimer

Use of this site constitutes your acknowledgement that neither Belacord nor any of its guides will provide legal advice to you.

2. Background

Use of this Site is licensed to one or more Belacord franchisees, mediators and/or law firms (the "Firms") to (i) allow each such Firm to promote their own web site and practice, (ii) facilitate the public’s ability to learn about mediation and (iii) interact with mediators. In addition to educating the general public about mediation, each Firm provides users with the ability to submit information about their specific circumstances, and to request to be contacted by such Firm to discuss their situation. It is your decision alone whether or not to work with anyone.

Belacord, Inc. itself is not a Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm, but, rather, is the owner and operator of a website called www.belacord.com owned and operated by Belacord, Inc. Any arrangements made by you and any Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm are strictly between you and such party and do not involve Belacord, Inc. in any way. You understand that Belacord, Inc. does nothing more than license the use of this Site to Belacord franchisees, mediators and/or law firms to allow such Belacord franchisees, mediators and/or law firms to better market their respective web sites, and, in certain instances, provide various ancillary services related to such licensed use of this Site.

3. Purpose

All of the materials and information on the Site are provided for informational purposes only, and may not reflect current legal developments or variances in the law of different jurisdictions. Nothing on the Site should be construed as legal advice or used as a substitute for legal advice. Belacord, Inc. does not provide legal advice. The materials and information on the Site do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Belacord franchisees, mediators and/or law firms, their partners, clients or affiliates. The information on the Site is not guaranteed to be correct, complete or up to date. The Site is not intended to, and does not, constitute or create an attorney-client relationship between you and our guides or any of the Belacord franchisees, mediators, and/or law firms, their partners, employees, agents or affiliates, or any other attorney associated with the Site. Additionally, the mere receipt of an e-mail from or a "post" on the Site does not create an attorney-client relationship. The applicable Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm is solely responsible for providing its services to you, and you agree that Belacord, Inc. shall not be liable for any damages or costs of any type arising out of or in any way connected with your use of such services (including, without limitation, claims based upon or alleging the unauthorized practice of law or malpractice). You agree that any claim arising out of your relationship with a Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm or attorney shall be brought solely against such Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm or attorney, and, as Belacord, Inc. is doing nothing more than assisting the Belacord franchisees, mediators and/or law firms to market their respective practices, neither Belacord, Inc. nor any of its licensors or affiliates shall be included within any such claim.

YOU SHOULD NOT ACT OR RELY ON THE BASIS OF ANY INFORMATION ON THE SITE WITHOUT SEEKING AND RETAINING THE ADVICE OF AN ATTORNEY.

4. Submission of Information

One of the Belacord’s most valuable functions is to identify mediation service providers that are best matched to user needs. If professional mediation services are desired, Belacord will securely and confidentially convey a synopsis of the user’s situation for secure and confidential mediator consideration. This synopsis includes user names (for conflict check purposes) and an indication of the extent to which users have completed their financial inventory, budgets and draft understanding at the Belacord Site. By submitting information to Belacord, and for such limited purpose of identifying a best mediator for your situation only, you agree that Belacord may release your contact information and indication of informational progress to one or more Belacord franchisees, mediators and/or law firms. You further agree and understand that such contacted franchisee, mediator and/or law firm may contact you directly should they have any interest in discussing your situation with you. After discussing your specific situation with a Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm, if the user and the attorney/mediator are wanting to work together, he/she will send you an agreement that you will need to sign and return to confirm your professional relationship You are encouraged to seek and retain the advice of other counsel so as to meet all applicable deadlines that govern your divorce or other case, if any. You hereby agree that, by taking any of the actions described above, you are soliciting and requesting a contact by telephone or email and as such, you may be contacted by telephone or e-mail as set forth in this Agreement and in our Privacy Policy, notwithstanding the listing of your telephone number and/or e-mail address in any applicable do-not-call registries.

5. Limited License; Permitted Uses

You are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license (1) to access and use the Site strictly in accordance with these Terms and Conditions; (2) to use the Site solely for personal, non-commercial purposes; and (3) to print out information and search results from the Site solely for personal, non-commercial purposes and provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein.

6. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us, and our licensors, franchisees, subsidiaries, affiliates, mediators, equity holders, directors, officers, agents, third party contractors and guides and all other employees, harmless from all damages, costs, liabilities, and any claim or demand made by any third party, including reasonable attorney’s fees due to or arising out of Content you submit, post to or transmit through the Site, your use of the Site, your connection to the Site, your violation of this agreement, or your violation of any rights of another person, or due to or arising from such activities carried out by a person using your Belacord account or password, with or without your knowledge. The indemnification obligations under this section shall survive any termination or expiration of this Agreement or your use of this Site or the Services found at this Site.

7. Third-Party Content

Third-party content may appear on this site or may be accessible via links from this Site. We are neither responsible for nor assume any liability for any mistakes, misstatements of law, defamation, omissions, falsehood, obscenity, pornography or profanity in the statements, opinions, representations or any other form of content contained in any third-party content appearing on the Site. You understand that the information and opinions in the third-party content represent solely the thoughts of the author and, as such, are neither endorsed by nor respective of, our beliefs.

8. Links to Other Websites

The Site may contain “hyperlinks” to websites neither owned nor controlled by us and we are not responsible for, and, unless otherwise noted specifically, make no representations or endorsements with respect to these sites or with respect to any service or product associated with these sites. By including these hyperlinks, we do not mean to state or imply that we sponsor, are affiliated with, or are legally authorized to use any trade name, registered trademark, service mark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the hyperlinks.

9. Dealing with Advertisers

Your business dealings with advertisers found on or through the Site, including payment and delivery of goods and services, and any terms, conditions, warranties or representations associated with such dealings, are solely between you and the advertiser. You agree that we are neither responsible for nor liable for any loss or damage of any sort incurred as the result of any such dealings or as the result of the inclusion or presence of advertisers on the Site.

10. Modifications to the Site

We reserve the right at any time and from time to time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Site (or any part of it) with or without notice. In the event of a modification or discontinuance, all information submitted by you may be lost. You agree to keep a permanent record of all information provided to us, and you agree that all information submitted to us is at your sole risk. You agree that we have no responsibility or liability for the deletion or failure to store any Content maintained or transmitted by the Site including without limitation messages and other communications. You agree that we shall not be liable to you or to any third party for any modification, suspension or discontinuance of the Service.

11. Participation in the Site

By participating or using the Site or by submitting information to or reading information on the Site, you agree that you will abide by the following rules:

a) The Site may only be used in good faith and may not be used to transmit or otherwise make available any information that is false or that you do not have a right to make available under any law or under contractual or fiduciary relationships (such as inside information, proprietary and confidential information learned or disclosed as part of various other relationships or under nondisclosure agreements), to threaten, harass, abuse, or invade the rights of any person or entity, to infringe on any person or entity’s intellectual property or any other rights, or in any other way that could reasonably be deemed unethical, illegal, or offensive.
b) You are prohibited from using any type of computer “worm,” “virus” or any other device that is intended or is likely to disrupt, overload, or otherwise impair the workings of any part of the Site. If you do engage in such conduct, the resulting damage will be hard to quantify as a dollar amount and thus you hereby agree to pay us liquidated damages in the amount of $50,000 for each day that the Site is damaged until the Site is completely repaired. This amount is derived by estimating the value of (1) the loss of good will caused by an inoperable site, (2) the time and money it will take to repair the Site and to address the concerns of visitors. We are required to use reasonable efforts to repair the Site as quickly as possible. This clause will not prohibit us from seeking additional compensation if your conduct injures us in a way not expressly contemplated herein.
c) You are permitted to use the Site to find a mediator to perform services for you related to your divorce or other matters and to obtain general information about divorce and or mediation (each, a “Permissible Use”). You are not permitted to use the Site for any other reason other than a Permissible Use as described above. Impermissible Uses shall include, but are not limited to, using the Site to order to solicit, hire, engage or otherwise work with the employees or affiliates of Belacord, Inc. or the mediators who participate in Belacord or for any other purpose other than described herein (each, an “Impermissible Use”). If you do engage in such conduct, the resulting damage will be hard to quantify as a dollar amount and thus you hereby agree to pay us liquidated damages in the amount of $25,000 for each Impermissible Use. You further agree that this liquidated damages provision reasonably approximates actual costs, losses, and expenses which would be incurred by Belacord, Inc. due to any such Impermissible Use. You also agree that nothing in this section is intended to limit Belacord, Inc.’s right to obtain injunctive and other relief as may be appropriate.
d) In the event you submit information through the Site, you agree to provide true, accurate, current and complete information and agree to promptly update the information to keep it true, accurate, current and complete. If you provide any information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, and/or we have reasonable grounds to suspect that such information is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, we have the right to suspend or terminate your participation in the Site and/or refuse any and all current or future use of the Site or its services (or any portion thereof).
e) You understand that, by using the Site, you may be exposed to Content that is offensive, indecent or objectionable. Under no circumstances will we be liable in any way for any Content, including, but not limited to, for any errors or omissions in any Content, or for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any Content posted, emailed or otherwise transmitted via the Site.
f) Unless you have our prior written consent, you will not post advertisements or promotional materials, solicit participants and/or visitors of the Site, reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell or exploit for any commercial purposes, any portion of the Site or its Services, use of the Site or its Services, or access to the Site or its Services.
g) You may not impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity or mis-identify yourself (e.g., pretend to be a different person or from a different company or organization).
h) You agree not to harm minors in any way. i) You shall not intentionally or unintentionally violate any applicable local, state, national or international law, including, but not limited to, regulations promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or any rules of any national or other securities exchange, including, without limitation, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or NASDAQ, and any regulations having the force of law.
j) You understand and agree that all information, statistical data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, graphics, video, messages or other materials (Content), whether publicly posted or privately transmitted by you and other users of our service, are the sole responsibility of the person from which such Content originated. This means that you, and not we or us, are entirely responsible for the Content posted via the Site and, as such, we do not guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such Content. You acknowledge that we may or may not pre-screen Content, but that we and our designees shall have the right (but not the obligation) in our sole discretion to pre-screen, refuse, or move any Content that is available through or on the Site. Without limiting the foregoing, we and our designees shall have the right (but not the obligation) to remove any Content that violates this agreement or is otherwise objectionable.
k) You are not permitted to access the Site for the purpose of data mining or extracting content from the Site beyond your personal end use.
l) You may not forge headers or otherwise manipulate identifiers in order to disguise the origin of any Content transmitted through the Site.

12. Intellectual Property Rights

You acknowledge and agree that the Site and any necessary software used in connection with the Site may contain proprietary and confidential information that is protected by applicable intellectual property and other laws. Except for the limited license contained in paragraph 5 above, nothing in these Terms and Conditions grants or should be construed to grant any licenses or rights, by implication, estoppel or otherwise, under copyright or other intellectual property rights. You agree that all right, title and interest (including all copyrights, trademarks, service marks, patents and other intellectual property rights) in this Site and its content belong to us, or our licensers or licensees, as applicable. No part of the materials including graphics or logos, available in this Site may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without specific permission. Except as expressly authorized by us, you further agree not to modify, rent, lease, loan, sell, distribute or create derivative works based on the Site or the software, in whole or in part.

13. Restrictions and Prohibitions on Use

Your license to access and use the Site and its services are subject to the following additional restrictions and prohibitions on use. You may not (1) copy, print (except for the express limited purpose permitted by paragraph 5 above), republish, display, transmit, distribute, sell, rent, lease, loan or otherwise make available in any form or by any means all or any portion of the Site, or any information or materials retrieved therefrom; (2) remove, change, or obscure any copyright notice or other proprietary notice or terms of use contained in the Site; (3) use the Site or any other materials from the Site in any manner that may infringe any copyright, intellectual property right, proprietary right, or property right of Belacord, Inc. or any third parties; (4) make any portion of the Site available through any timesharing system, service bureau, the Internet, or any other technology now existing or developed in the future, without our express written consent; (5) use the Site in a manner that violates any state or federal law regulating commercial email, facsimile transmissions or telephone solicitations; (6) export or re-export the Site or any portion thereof, or any software available on or through the Site, in violation of the export control laws and regulations of the United States. (7) use the Site for the purpose of gathering information for or transmitting (a) unsolicited commercial email; (b) email that makes use of our name or trademarks, including in connection with invalid or forged headers, invalid or nonexistent domain names, or other means of deceptive addressing; and (c) unsolicited telephone calls or facsimile transmissions; (8) use the Site or any other materials from the Site to develop, or as a component of, an information storage and retrieval system, database, infobase, or similar information resource (in any media now existing or hereafter developed), that is offered for commercial distribution of any kind, including through sale, license, lease, rental, subscription, or any other commercial distribution mechanism; (9) decompile or determine the site architecture of the site; (10) remove, disable, defeat or change any functionality or appearance of the Site; (11) create compilations or derivative works of the Site or any other materials from the Site; (12) use any automatic or manual process to harvest information from the Site;

14. Our Sponsoring Attorneys

Neither we nor our Guides will provide any legal advice to you. Under our guidelines and pursuant to our agreement with our guides, legal advice can only be given by attorneys duly licensed to practice in the jurisdiction in which such advice is given. By using this site, you agree and acknowledge that no legal advice will be given or received absent an attorney-client relationship between yourself and an attorney duly licensed to practice in the applicable jurisdiction.

15. Disclosures Regarding Attorney Advertising

This Site may contain advertising material or lawyer advertisements.

Some jurisdictions may consider the Site to be a form of advertising for legal services and as such may require specific disclosures. Please read the following carefully:

THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT. The determination of the need for legal services and the choice of a lawyer are extremely important decisions and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Anyone considering a lawyer should independently investigate the lawyer’s credentials and ability, and not rely upon advertisements or self-proclaimed expertise. Hiring a lawyer is an important process that should not be based solely upon advertisements.

We urge all potential clients to make their own independent investigation and evaluation of any franchisee, mediator or law firm being considered.

16. No Solicitation

You agree that you will not distribute any content or material containing solicitations or advertising of any kind without our express prior written permission.

17. Privacy Policy

Your personal information is subject to our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. Click here to review our privacy policy.

18. Disclaimer of Warranties

You expressly understand and agree that:
your use of the site is at your sole risk. All content and service on the site is provided solely on an „as-is/as available‰ basis. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we expressly disclaim all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties and conditions of merchantability, satisfactory quality, fitness for a particular purpose or use, as to the results you may achieve on account of your use of the site, as to the results you may achieve on account of any relationship you elect to create with any Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm, and non-infringement. Neither Belacord, inc. Nor any of its licensors or affiliates makes any representation or warranties regarding any Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm, including, without limitation, any Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm’s ability to obtain a favorable result for you.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, we make no representation or warranty that (i) the content and service of this site will meet your requirements, (ii) the content and service of this site will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free, (iii) the results that may be obtained from the use of the site will be accurate or reliable, or (iv) the quality of any products, services, information, or other material purchased or obtained by you through the site is accurate or will meet your expectations.

We do not guaranty the accuracy or completeness of any content or services and we do not guaranty any services or goods associated with the site will be error-free or uninterrupted, or that any service will continue to be available.

Any material downloaded or otherwise obtained through the use of the service is done at your own discretion and risk and you will be solely responsible for any damage to your computer system or loss of data that results from the download of any such material.

No information, whether oral or written, obtained by you from us or through or from the site shall create any warranty not expressly stated in this agreement.

19. Termination

By using this Site, you do not acquire any rights to the Site other than the limited license to use the Site (as set forth in paragraph 5 above) that can be terminated in accordance with this section. You agree that we may terminate your password, account (or any part thereof) or use of the Site, and remove and discard any Content within the Site, for any reason, at our sole discretion, including, without limitation, for non-use, non-payment, or if we believe that you have violated or acted inconsistently with the spirit of this agreement. In our sole discretion and at any time, we may discontinue providing the Site, or any part thereof, with or without notice. You agree that any termination of your access to the Site under any provision of this agreement may be effected without prior notice, and acknowledge and agree that we may immediately deactivate or delete your account and all related Content information and files in your account and/or bar any further access to such files or the Site. Further, you agree that we shall not be liable to you or any third-party for any termination of your access to the Site.

20. Errors and Corrections

We do not represent or warrant that the Site will be error-free, free of viruses or other harmful components, or that defects will be corrected. We do not warrant or represent that the information available on or through the Site will be timely, accurate, or otherwise reliable. We may make improvements and/or changes to features, functionality or content of the site at any time. We are under no obligation to do so and, in any case, in no event shall we be liable for any errors or defects.

21. Waiver and Severability of Terms

Our failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of this agreement shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. If any provision of the agreement is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, you and we nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties’ intentions as reflected in the provision, and the other provisions of this agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

22. Limitation of Liability

You expressly understand and agree that we shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or exemplary damages, including but not limited to, damages for loss of revenues, profits, goodwill, use data, failure to realize expected savings, or other intangible losses (even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages), resulting from: (i) the use or the inability to use the site; (ii) the cost of procurement of substitute goods and services resulting from any goods, data, information or services purchased or obtained or messages received or transactions entered into through or from the site; (iii) your failure to receive any third party services or products requested through the site (iv) invalid destinations, transmission errors, or unauthorized access to or alteration of your transmissions or data; (v) statements or conduct of any third party on the site; or (vi) any other matter relating to the site. In no event are we liable to you for an amount in excess of the amount paid by you to us for the services in question, if any.

23. Exclusions And Limitations

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages. Accordingly, some of the above limitations of sections 18, 20 and 22 may not apply to you.

24. Attorney Ethics Notice

If you are an attorney, participating in any aspect of this Site, you acknowledge that rules of professional conduct apply to all aspects of your participation and that you will abide by such rules. The rules include, but are not limited to, the rules relating to advertising, solicitation of clients, unauthorized practice of law, and misrepresentations of fact. We disclaim all responsibility for your compliance with these rules.

25. Statute of Limitations

You agree that regardless of any statute or law to the contrary, any claim or cause of action arising out of or related to use of this Site, this agreement and/or the relationship between you and us must be filed within one (1) year after such claim or cause of action arose or be forever barred.

26. Choice of Forum

Any disputes arising out or related to the use of this Site, this agreement and/or the relationship between you and us shall be submitted to mediation in Palm Springs, California carried out in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association for commercial disputes, with each party required to pay half of all fees and costs.

27. Photos

All photos on the Site, unless otherwise identified, are of models and do not depict clients.

28. Attorney Client Privelege

This website is not a lawyer referral service or prepaid legal services plan. Belacord, Inc. is not a Belacord franchisee, mediator and/or law firm. The information contained herein is not legal advice. Any information you submit to Belacord, Inc. while confidential and secure by this agreement, is not itself protected by attorney-client privilege.

29. Section Titles

The section titles in this agreement are for convenience only and have no legal or contractual effect.

30. Fees and Payments

You agree to pay any and all prices and fees due for Services purchased at this Site at the time you order the Services. All prices and fees are non-refundable unless otherwise expressly noted, even if your Services are suspended, terminated, or transferred prior to the end of the Service term. Belacord expressly reserves the right to change or modify its prices and fees at any time, and such changes or modifications shall be posted online at this Site and effective immediately without need for further notice to you. If you have purchased Services for a period of months or years, changes or modifications in prices and fees shall be effective when the Services in question come up for renewal as further described below.

Where refunds are issued, Belacord’s issuance of a refund receipt is confirmation that Belacord has submitted your refund to the Payment Method charged at the time of the original sale. You acknowledge and agree that the associated payment provider and/or individual issuing bank establish and regulate the time frames for posting your refund. Refund posting time frames may range from five (5) business days to a full billing cycle.

Except as prohibited in any product-specific agreement, you may pay for Services by providing a valid credit card, PayPal (as defined below), for charge by Belacord (each, a “Payment Method”). For Services that offer “Checkout”, clicking the Checkout button will automatically place an order for that Service and charge the primary Payment Method on file for your Account. Your Payment Method on file must be kept valid if you have any active Services in your Account.

Some Belacord Services may offer an automatic renewal option. While the details of the automatic renewal option vary from Service to Service, generally the Services that offer an automatic renewal option treat it as the default setting. Therefore, unless you select the manual renewal option, Belacord will automatically renew your Services when they come up for renewal and will take payment from the Payment Method you have on file with Belacord at Belacord’s then current rates.

If you are being billed on a monthly basis, your monthly billing date will be based on the date of the month you purchased the Services unless that date falls after the 28th of the month, in which case your billing date will be the 28th of each month.

In an effort to ensure that there is no interruption of Services, Belacord may participate in “recurring billing programs” or “account updater services” supported by your credit card provider (and ultimately dependent on your bank’s participation). If you are enrolled in an automatic renewal option and we are unable to successfully charge your existing Payment Method, your credit card provider (or your bank) may notify us of updates to your credit card number and/or expiration date, or they may automatically charge your new credit card on our behalf without notification to us. In accordance with recurring billing program requirements, in the event that we are notified of an update to your credit card number and/or expiration date, Belacord will automatically update your payment profile on your behalf. Belacord makes no guarantees that we will request or receive updated credit card information. You acknowledge and agree that it is your sole responsibility to modify and maintain your Account settings, including but not limited to (i) setting your renewal options and (ii) ensuring your associated Payment Method(s) are current and valid. Further, you acknowledge and agree that your failure to do so, may result in the interruption or loss of Services, and Belacord shall not be liable to you or any third party regarding the same.

If for any reason Belacord is unable to charge your Payment Method for the full amount owed for the Services provided, or if Belacord is charged a penalty for any fee it previously charged to your Payment Method, you agree that Belacord may pursue all available lawful remedies in order to obtain payment. If you pay by credit card and if for any reason Belacord is unable to charge your credit card with the full amount owed for the Services provided, or if Belacord is charged back for any fee it previously charged to the credit card you provided, you agree that Belacord may pursue all available lawful remedies in order to obtain payment. You agree that the remedies Belacord may pursue in order to effect payment shall include, but not be limited to, immediate cancellation without notice to you of any Services on your behalf. Belacord reserves the right to charge you reasonable “administrative fees” or “processing fees” for (i) tasks Belacord may perform outside the normal scope of its Services, (ii) additional time and/or costs Belacord may incur in providing its Services, and/or (iii) your noncompliance with this Agreement (as determined by Belacord in its sole and absolute discretion). Typical scenarios include, but are not limited to, customer service issues that require additional personal time or attention, fees incurred by third-party payment providers such as PayPal, fees incurred as the result of chargebacks or other payment disputes brought by you, your bank, or a payment Method processor, and disputes that require accounting or legal services. These administrative fees or processing fees will be billed to the Payment Method you have on file with Belacord.

While all transactions are processed in U.S. dollars, Belacord may provide an estimated conversion price to currencies other than U.S. dollars. You acknowledge and agree that the pricing displayed during the checkout process is an estimated conversion price at the time of purchase. Due to time differences between (i) the time you complete the checkout process, (ii) the time the transaction is processed, and (iii) the time the transaction posts to your bank statement, the conversion rates may fluctuate, and Belacord makes no representations or warranties that the estimated conversion price will be the same as, or reflective of, either (a) the amount processed or (b) the amount posted to your bank statement, and you agree to waive any and all claims based upon such discrepancies (including any and all claims for a refund based on the foregoing). In addition, you acknowledge and agree that you may be charged exchange rate conversion fees, Value Added Tax (“VAT”), Goods and Services Tax (“GST”), or other localized fees and/or taxes, based on your bank and/or the country indicated in your billing address section.

By using Belacord’s pay by PayPal payment option (“PayPal”), you can purchase Belacord Services using PayPal. In connection therewith, you agree to allow PayPal to debit the full amount of your purchase from your PayPal account (“PayPal Account”) or from the credit card(s), bank account(s), or other allowed Payment Method(s) linked to your PayPal Account (“PayPal Funding Source”).

It is your responsibility to keep your PayPal Account and PayPal Funding source current and funded, and your PayPal Account backed by a valid credit card. You acknowledge and agree that (i) PayPal reserves the right to decline a transaction for any reason (including, but not limited to, payments that fail to go through as a result of your PayPal Account or PayPal Funding Source no longer existing or not holding available/sufficient funds) and (ii) in such event, neither PayPal or Belacord shall be liable to you or any third party regarding the same. If for any reason PayPal is unable to withdraw the full amount owed for your purchase, you agree that PayPal and Belacord may pursue all available lawful remedies in order to obtain payment. You agree that if the transaction is returned unpaid, you will pay a service charge of $25.00 or the maximum amount allowed by law, which may be debited from your PayPal Account or PayPal Funding Source.

By clicking the box labeled “I agree” to the terms of the PayPal payment option, you authorize a debit of the full amount of your purchase from your PayPal Account or PayPal Funding Source.

31. Entire Agreement

This agreement governs your use of the Belacord site, and constitutes the entire agreement between you and us superseding any prior agreements between you and us. You may be subject to additional terms and conditions when you purchase or use certain other services, affiliate services, third-party content or third-party software.

32. Disclaimer

Use of this site constitutes user’s acknowledgement that neither Belacord nor any of its guides will provide legal advice to the user.

33. Successors and Assigns

This agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors and assigns.

Copyright © 2011 Belacord, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Belacord Privacy Policy

All of the information we obtain about you is stored securely on our servers and we use it, pursuant to your expressed desires, and as described in our Terms and Conditions, to allow franchisees, mediators, and law firms to consider your situation/case, provide services to you, and to communicate with you in furtherance of these services, all as set forth below. Except as provided, we will not share your personal information with anyone else without your permission. Any third party to whom we provide your information must agree to keep your information confidential and not to share it with any other party without your permission.

In addition to your personal Belacord communications and desired professional services, Belacord may periodically send newsletter communications that we believe will be of interest to you. We encourage you to "opt-in" so you can begin receiving Belacord newsletters, but you are certainly not required to do this. You can "opt-out" of receiving our newsletters at any time.


~What Types of Information About You Do We Collect Through This Website?

  • We collect personal information about you in three principal ways: (1) information you provide us through this website; (2) information that is automatically generated when you use our Website; and (3) information we obtain from third parties.
  • 1. Information You Provide To Us: When you submit a request for any service or product on this Website, we collect the following information from you:
    • Provided contact information, including, minimally, your name, email address, and telephone number
    • As desired, your provided information about your assets, debts, income, and expenses
    • Additional information that you identify as helpful in providing you with professional services for purposes of your reconciliation, separation, possible divorce, or other mediation
  • 2. Information Automatically Generated From This Website:We also collect certain information about you automatically when you visit our Website through our use of "cookies." Cookies are electronic identifiers that are transferred automatically to your computer through your browser and they allow our computers to save certain information you provide us and store information about you so we can recognize you when you visit our Website in the future. We also automatically collect your Internet Protocol (IP) address (which allows us to understand how you use our site and to enable us to make changes to our site in order to improve your user experience); information regarding your computer and your connection to our site (such as your browser type, operating system, and platform); and your user history (such as session information, page loading times, page errors and broken links, the length of your visits to specific pages within our site, and other information related to your experience on our site).

~How Do We Use Information We Collect Through This Website?

  • All of the information we obtain about you is stored securely on our servers and we use it only for the following purposes:
    • 1. To identify the Belacord franchisee, mediator, or law firm (the ‘firms’) that may be most helpful to you and to connect you with them, as described in our Terms and Conditions
    • 2. To provide ongoing communications to you in furtherance of these services
    • 3. To perform research (not to include personal identifying information)
    • 4. To evaluate your experience on our site and make improvements to it.

~Who Will We Share Your Information With?

  • Except as set forth below, we will not share your personal information with anyone without your permission. Any third party to whom we provide your information must agree to keep your information confidential and not to share it with any other person or entity without your permission. These are the outside parties with whom we share your information:
    • 1. Participating Firms: To provide the desired services offered through this Website, we will forward your information to the firm or firms identified when you request services in order for them to contact you, to evaluate your needs, and to determine whether they can assist you. When you submit your request, you consent to the release of a synopsis of your information to such firm(s) for these limited purposes. As part of this process, the firm(s) agree to keep your information confidential and agree not to share it with any other person or entity without your express permission. This synopsis includes user names (for conflict check purposes) and an indication of the extent to which users have completed their financial inventory, budgets and draft understanding at the Belacord Site. By submitting information to Belacord, and for such limited purpose of identifying a best mediator for your situation only, you agree that Belacord may release your contact information and indication of informational progress to one or more Belacord franchisees, mediators and/or law firms. You further agree and understand that such contacted franchisee, mediator and/or law firm may contact you directly should they have any interest in discussing your situation with you.
    • 2. Other Parties: We may also provide aggregate statistical information that does not personally identify you (such as the city or state you live in) to describe our services to prospective partners, advertisers, and other third parties, and for other lawful purposes. We will not, however, disclose any personally identifiable information about you to these parties.
    • 3. Legal and Governmental Authorities: We will only disclose your information to proper authorities when we have a good-faith belief that such action is legally required.

~How Do We Protect Your Personal Information?

  • We take reasonable measures to protect your information on our servers. However, you must understand that whenever you disclose personal information online (such as through an email message or through filling out an online form), this information cannot be made 100 percent secure and, in some cases, that information can be intercepted, collected, and used by others.

~Questions About Our Privacy Policy?

  • If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, you may contact us at:
  • Belacord, Inc.
    777 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 200-33
    Palm Springs, CA 92264
  • info@belacord.com

~Updates to Our Privacy Policy

  • From time to time, we may decide to change the provisions of this privacy policy and we reserve the right to do so without notice. We will always post our current Privacy Policy on this website.

~Links

  • This website contains links to other sites that are owned and operated by unaffiliated third parties. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites and any information you provide to them will not be governed by this Privacy Policy. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected on this website. When you leave our site, we encourage you to read the privacy statements of websites you visit prior to providing your personally identifiable information to them.

~Opt-Out Instructions

  • You may opt-out of receiving Belacord newsletters by clicking the below opt-out page link. This opt-out does not apply to communications we have with you to complete your order or provide the service you requested.

Copyright © 2011, Belacord, Inc. all rights reserved.