The Team Approach to Successfully Navigate the Waters

Certified Divorce Financial Analysts assist in helping individuals navigate the obstacles of divorce. Build a team that will provide you the knowledge to move forward to make smart, sound decisions.

Will you select alternate dispute resolution? Alternate dispute resolution refers to a variety of processes that help parties resolve disputes without a trial, for example, mediation, arbitration, neutral evaluation and collaborative dispute resolution. If your spouse is non-cooperative or demands a trial, what qualifications will you seek when you interview for an attorney?

In selecting an attorney, individuals should interview to determine the attorney best fit for your needs. Who is your best fit, what approach do you need?

One factor to consider is whether the attorney is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Attorneys, a requirement advocated by the IDFA, the Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts, a national organization? If yes, the matrimonial attorney will have ten or more years of experience with a minimum of seventy-five per cent of the attorney’s practice in the area of matrimonial law for at least last three years. They are recognized experts in the specialized field of matrimonial law, including divorce, prenuptial agreements, legal separation, annulment, custody, property and support. For more detailed information refer to the AAML.org website.

If you retain an attorney who is a Fellow of the AAML, will he or she be representing you in court or at mediation, and to what extent will your case possibly be delegated to a young associate? When interviewing attorneys, ask what percentage of their cases typically go to trial. If the attorney answers more than 20%, this may be a red flag. Is the attorney an overly litigious attorney who doesn’t want you and your spouse to settle in an affordable manner, but is more interested in the billable hours and tens of thousands of dollars for a court battle?

If you have already retained a matrimonial attorney, he or she is the quarterback on your team, and you may be well served in adding a Certified Divorce Financial Planner to your team to help you optimize the settlement. Attorneys are not financial specialists, and do not have the time or interest to focus on the details of your financial records. CDFAsalso offer tax planning in preparing the settlement and can save the couple and family thousands of dollars in taxes.

Whether you're structuring a property settlement and shortly will negotiate the length of alimony, choosing how to split up retirement savings or simply figuring out what your filing status is after you part ways, Smart Transition Strategies™ can help with tax planning before filing, during separation and after the divorce decree.

As a member of your team, Smart Transition Strategies™ is similar to a firefighter, helping in an emergency, putting out the flames as early as possible. STS also serves as a financial concierge. Do you need financial advice after an impending divorce? Do you need a new will after filing for divorce? Upon request, STS can provide you with “a shopping bag”, of recommendations of well qualified professionals, to consider adding to your team.

Smart Transition Strategies™ seeks to empower you with the knowledge to move forward. Services are to help you through your journey, including before filing for divorce, during the process and after the process is complete. Each case is unique. Some individuals may navigate the process with a small team. Certain individuals who have been married for a lengthy duration and or have complex cases or considerable assets, may be best served by a larger team of professionals. Consider the potential conflicts of interest of those in the process. It is of paramount importance that the individual understands the effects of different financial options prior to accepting a settlement offer.

Smart Transition Strategies™, LLC offers accessible advice and educates you so that you can take charge, obtain closure, and move forward with you life. Contact us and move through the process towards resolution with confidence, and enjoy the next chapter of a most fulfilling life.

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