DIVORCE FINANCIAL PLANNING OVERVIEW
Wherever you are in the divorce process, it is important to have someone with financial expertise to guide you. A financial expert will reduce the time and expense of your divorce and provide you with information and guidance that will leave you feeling better about the process. Whether we are working with couples or individuals, our goal is to find common ground, minimize conflict and eliminate unnecessary expense.
Some of the biggest decisions made during divorce involve the division of family assets, liabilities, income and expenses. Our role is to provide clarity around your finances so that you can make informed decisions. By having a better understanding of your financial picture, you can have control of the divorce process and have more influence over the outcome. When your divorce is complete, you will feel empowered that you have done what is best for you and your family.
Just as attorneys advise on the legal matters and the mental health professionals support the emotional aspects of divorce, we have the training, knowledge and experience to provide advice regarding financial matters in divorce. Laurie Blazek is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst ™, a trained mediator and a Certified Financial Planner ™.
Our role in your divorce can occur anywhere in the process and is determined by your needs. We can inform and educate, advocate on your behalf, mediate and facilitate the process, interface with attorneys or manage the entire process for you.
Divorce Financial Planning - A Case Study
We recently worked with a couple who called before they retained attorneys. Even though they were still together in the same house, they had been living separate lives for many years. Because they had teenage children, they wanted the divorce to be as amicable as possible. They also had moderate financial resources and wanted to minimize unnecessary expenses.
After creating a family budget and splitting one household into two, marital property was divided in a way that was equitable for both parties. During the process, this couple resolved some difficult property and support issues. While this was not an easy process, the couple was committed to common goals and collaboration. They challenged themselves to communicate and work through each issue always keeping in mind what was in the best interest of their children, and their own well-being. Once the financial work was completed, an attorney drafted and filed the Marital Settlement and Joint Parenting Agreements. This couple was divorced in less than 60 days for a fraction of the cost of a typical divorce.
Two things about this situation are important. First, this couple came through their divorce feeling as good as they could have felt about the situation. With our help, they were empowered to control both the process and the outcome. They developed communication skills during their divorce that will benefit them post-divorce. Second, the client and Blazek Financial Planning shared a common goal which was to reach an equitable settlement with minimal conflict and expenses. This is the value of having a financial expert, mediator and facilitator to help you through the process.
