Your financial expert will not only provide valuable information you may not get on your own, she will also offer advice and recommendations specifically tailored to your needs. Here are just a few of the many services your financial planner can provide:

• Advice on how to divide assets and liabilities, as well as the pro's and con's of different settlement proposals;
• Determining the tax consequences of your financial planning and settlement decisions;
• Providing a review of your net worth, future cash flow, your needs and sources of income;
• Discussing long- and short-term goals, and implementing a plan of action to get you there;
• Informing you on how to split retirement plans and how to access them;
• Recommending insurance plans that meet your needs;
• Assisting you with beneficiary designations and other estate planning changes;
• Determining dependency exemption for children;
• Assisting you with budgeting and investing after the divorce is complete;
• And in the event that a settlement cannot be reached, a financial planner can appear in court on your behalf.

Fees are based on the amount of time spent working on your case and are normally paid up front in the form of a retainer. This type of work is crucial in negotiating a fair settlement, and when done by a financial professional, the benefits, many times, outweigh the cost. The attorney and the financial professional are not doing the same work twice, and in most cases the hourly rate of the financial professional is less than that of the attorney.