Fred and Bette were both hurt. Their feelings of betrayal, loss of trust and the sense that the person who was to be the partner in your life is not only no longer fulfilling that role but also they have become a third party. Through their negotiations they felt suspicious of one another when dealing with the financial issues, child custody and child access issues that they needed to resolve. With so much at stake visions of increased, indeterminable professional fees loomed.
Fred and Bette were confused by the complexity of their financial situation. Without the necessary complicated financial software Fred and Bette were struggling with issues such as lump sum versus spousal support payments, the difference between taxable and non-taxable assets. Who want the house and who can afford to keep it? Should retirement assets be swapped for real estate holdings ~ is it beneficial to be house rich and retirement poor? What happens to Bette's stock options?
How could Fred and Bette have saved a bunch of money? They could have had a financial professional, who specializes in divorcing clients, calculate their financial situation. Not only would it have saved on some legal fees but it also would have given them a more concrete visual picture of their lives apart from one another. Often divorcing people do not want to gouge their soon-to-be-ex but rather they want the best result for both themselves and their ex-partner.
Something to think about, eh?
