No! You do not need to have everything decided before starting your mediation negotiations. The only thing you need to agree on is the decision mediate itself. Your mediator (if you choose wisely), is a skilled professional who will help you negotiate all issues. In fact, many couples specifically wait until mediation to discuss all of the issues. Divorce is a complex matter and you may not “know what you don’t know” when it comes to the issues you need to identify, discuss and resolve in order to come to a complete agreement. By working through the issues in mediation, you can be assured that everything will be discussed thoroughly - in the proper order and given the necessary time and attention it deserves.