Leading divorce lawyers use our services because we help them bring their cases to a successful conclusion with significantly less stress. We patiently work with attorneys and their clients to help them get their fair share. This is accomplished by our focus on long term goals and detailing lifestyle needs.
While our firm is well-known for its exceptional work in matrimonial issues, we still provide top-notched services for business valuations and forensic accounting outside family law matters.
Divorce Financial Analysis and Planning
Financial Analysis done early in the divorce process can save time.
The average length of a divorce process in the U.S. is one year. Both parties will probably spend a lot of time trying to understand the financial aspects and terms of the separation. We can explain all financial aspects of pending decisions and assist their client in making educated decisions throughout the proceedings.
We can help you save money during the divorce process.
With our help, divorcing persons can more clearly envision their financial future. They can then view a legal settlement that fully addresses their financial needs and capabilities. A legal settlement that floats back and forth between attorneys, without the client having a clear understanding of all financial ramifications, can be detrimental, time consuming, and expensive. We will educate our clients by providing a thorough knowledge and understanding of the often-complicated financial decisions.
We can help you avoid long-term financial pitfalls.
We can project the long-term effects of the divorce settlement. This includes avoiding tax traps that are lurking when selling the marital home and when distributing pension assets. Developing a long-term plan for their financial situation is much more advantageous than addressing only current problems. Financial decisions must be made that not only take care of immediate family needs but also long-term concerns, such as funding children’s higher education and-retirement.
We can assist you in the development of household budgets that will help you avoid financial struggles after the divorce.
We can assist our clients in realizing what the divorce will really cost in the long run and develop a realistic monthly budget during the financial analysis process. Expenses such as life insurance, health insurance, and cost of living increases must be taken into consideration when agreeing on a final financial settlement.
We can reduce the amount of stress and misunderstanding about the financial matters in a divorce process.
Misconceptions about the divorce process can be detrimental. Financial analysis during the divorce process can ensure a stable economic future and prevent problems that could arise from the financial decisions made or not made during the divorce process.
Business Valuation
If you and your spouse own a business, there are many questions you need to consider. What is the value of that business? Who will continue to operate the business, or will it be sold? How much is that business worth?
We are Certified Valuation Analysts. If there is a business owned by the parties to the divorce, we can prepare a valuation of the business in order to determine what your fair share under the law should be.
Forensic Accounting
It’s important that you understand what assets and liabilities you have. Do you know what your true joint income is? Are personal expenses being paid for by a business? Is your spouse hiding money from you? Do you know the actual cost of your life style?
Forensic accounting is concerned with searching for the truth. Forensic accounting services are detective services related to financial transactions, income, and assets. Forensic accounting services are not required in all cases but as Certified Forensic Accountants, we have a keen eye for the truth. If we are required to go to court, we are able to prepare clear and concise reports of the truth for the education of the courts.
Assisting Family Law Attorneys
We are also here to help Florida divorce lawyers with their clients. The management of discovery and production in a case can be an overwhelming task. But it’s a task that can make or break a case and your client’s life. The expression of “being too close to the trees to see the forest” is one that comes to mind when dealing with discovery and production. As financial accountants, we have had many years of experience in the management of case documents and requests for production of documents. We are able to stay on top of what documents are required, what documents we have requested, and what documents we have received, freeing you to concentrate on the legal issues in the case.
For the most part, divorces are concerned with the financial issues of the couple. The majority of all of the divorce cases filed never go to court. If your client has a clear understanding of the financial situation of their marriage and their future financial prospects, they are able to deal with the divorce process in a logical, rational manner. We are able to deal with your clients in a professional manner to realistically explain their financial situation to them — and to help them plan for the resulting outcome of the divorce process.
Collaborative Divorce
Collaborative Divorce is an alternative dispute resolution that we also practice. It’s a team approach to settling divorce in which you and your spouse, your attorneys, myself as a neutral financial advisor, and a neutral mental health counselor work together in group meetings to resolve all the issues outside of court. Because we commit ourselves not to litigate, the only goal is to create a resolution that works for everybody.
We act as a neutral financial consultant in your Collaborative Divorce. Our job here is to help you negotiate a fair settlement without bias. Through this cooperative, non-adversarial process, we’ll help you get through your divorce with less financial and emotional stress, so you can move on to a brighter future and have a better co-parenting relationship for you and your children.
For more information on Collaborative Divorce, visit www.collaborativeprofessionalsofflorida.com.