Dear Friend,

Welcome to the November 2008 edition of our email newsletter for people interested in the cooperative divorce process. Please join us as we discuss the role of a neutral financial professional, explore the impact of divorce on a business, and examine the options couples have in these challenging economic times.

How a Neutral Financial Professional Can Help You

Going through a divorce is certainly hard enough--if you have children you have to develop a parenting plan, you may be on an emotional roller coaster, and now you need to figure out how to “divide” your finances. These, and other concerns, all add to your stress levels. A process to help divorcing couples succeed in resolving these issues is available to you.

The model of Collaborative Divorce offers a team of professionals who can help you create a successful path. One of the team members, a neutral financial professional, can help both of you to achieve a fair and equitable financial settlement. We are trained in the fundamentals of divorce and finance, have well-rounded knowledge in financial planning concepts, and mediation training – all of which enable us to provide you with a structure and a process to facilitate resolving you financial settlement.

(Read more of this article>>)

Sandy Voit, M.S., Ed.S., is both a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. His practice, Tangible Solutions, is located in the Totem Lake neighborhood of Kirkland, WA.  He may be contacted at 206-890-1174 or through his website – www.tangiblesolution.net

The Impact of Divorce on a Business

While ultimately a personal matter, divorce affects business in time, money, and lost productivity. An employee going through an emotionally troubling time may be less productive, miss work and may involve other employees in the drama. Many businesses are also concerned about revealing private or sensitive information.

When the business owner is the person involved in the divorce process, the consequences on the business can be even more dramatic, if not devastating. If the business owner is distracted, the business suffers. The legal discovery process can be as distressing as a tax audit with even greater economic consequences. A small business may also be destroyed by the need to liquidate assets to affect the community property division. ( Read more of this article>>)

Challenging Times and Stress—Is Divorce Inevitable?

It is well documented in the family law community that a difficult financial climate creates stress in a marriage. While many marriages survive the challenges that come with financial difficulties, some find that the extra stress leads to the breakdown of the marriage. The following advice, while intended mostly for divorcing couples, could be useful for couples wanting to save or revive the marriage.

(Read more of this article>>)

We are happy to assist you with any questions you may have about the cooperative divorce process. Remember, "The success of a marriage should not be judged upon whether it lasts or ends but on how much growth it has afforded us." 

Sincerely,

Karin Quirk
Attorney at Law