Building a Divorce Team

Building a dedicated team of professionals to support my clients in various aspects of the divorce mediation process is a holistic approach to divorce. The mediation process is not just about addressing legal matters, but also about addressing the practical and emotional aspects that come with divorce.

An important goal of the divorce mediation process is to ensure that my clients are making informed decisions. Another goal is to assist my clients with carrying out the intent of their agreement after their agreement is signed. To accomplish these goals, it is often necessary to engage and refer my clients to other topic specific divorce professionals.

Making an informed decision means that whatever decisions are being made, my clients have enough information related to each topic to understand and appreciate the benefits and risks associated with their decisions. An informed decision does not necessarily mean following the “rule of law” per se, and quite often, settlements deviate from what the law provides. To accomplish this goal, the process often necessitates bringing in divorce support professionals to provide helpful information to the divorce mediation process.

For example, if one spouse wants to explore buying the other spouse out of the marital home, the divorce process would benefit by hiring an appraiser to obtain a “fair market value” of the home. Agreeing on a fair market value is the first step in negotiating the buyout amount. Next, transferring the real property from one spouse to another, may require a mortgage broker to assist with exploring potential refinance options; and a real estate attorney and title company to assist with the drafting and filing of the real property deed and transfer documents.

Similarly, where there is a business that both spouses have an interest in, determining the business value involves a review of business financials from an expert in the field. Bringing in a CPA or other financial professional proficient in evaluating businesses for purposes of divorce will be necessary to the divorce mediation process. Having this valuable information will assist the spouses with making decisions on how to equitably distribute their assets.

Other divorce professionals that could assist during and after the divorce mediation process may include a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst or tax attorney to opine on client investments, potential capital gains or other tax implications, and to assist spouses with future financial planning; a Qualified Domestic Relations Order professional to assist with the division of retirement assets such as 401k’s and pensions; a parent coach or parent coordinator to assist with various parenting nuances or challenges; and a special needs attorney and/or special needs financial professional to assist where special needs children are involved. These are just some of the many professionals that can assist and support my clients both during and after the divorce mediation process.

Building a divorce team is an inclusive approach that acknowledges the multifaceted nature of divorce. Providing my clients with topic specific divorce professional references both during and after the divorce mediation process helps to set them up for success and helps to ensure that they are taking steps to follow the terms of their agreement.

As always if you have any questions about this article, divorce mediation, or the divorce mediation process, I welcome your questions and would love to hear from you.