Collaborative Divorce Articles

One of the most common concerns parents have as they approach divorce and separation is this: “What should we tell the kids, and how should we tell them?”  Telling your children that you are separating or getting divorced can cause enormous feelings of guilt and...

When it comes time to begin building out your parenting plan, the possible combinations of choices are literally endless. Here are just some of the topics that you’ll need to discuss and agree upon:  Parenting time ratios – 50/50? 60/40?Parenting time logistics –...

Having and raising children is a challenge.  Having to co-parent children during separation or divorce can feel impossible.  Children see and hear the sadness and anger taking place around them.  Parents don’t always think about what is in the best interests of the...

Psychiatrists and psychologists rank divorce as the second most stressful life event behind the death of a spouse. In a divorce, one of the most frustrating parts of the process involves the division of the family’s assets. Both spouses are concerned about how they...

            As a Collaborative Divorce Attorney, I have witnessed the sheer agony experienced by those I have served in making the decision to divorce.  I have learned just how important it is to finally and fully decide it is the right time to uncouple in the right...

One of my favorite assignments as a board-certified family lawyer was being chosen by a family court judge to represent a child whose parents were divorcing.  The reason the courts appoint attorneys for children whose parents cannot agree on post-divorce care and...

April is “Autism Acceptance Month.” Prior to 2021, this acknowledgement was called “Autism Awareness Month,” but as we have begun to learn more about autism and what it means to be “on the spectrum” of autism, we have learned that being on that spectrum is like a...

The process and outcomes of divorce are always multifaceted and difficult, even in the best of economic times.  When a couple divorces, they are divorcing emotionally, socially, legally and of course, financially.  Depending on the timing of one’s divorce, these areas...

This fictional profile gives insight to the role that a Financial Advisor plays as a neutral in the Collaborative Divorce process. The Collaborative Divorce process is an alternative process to a traditional courtroom divorce.  The process involves the divorcing...

Divorce is often described as one of the most stressful events of any person’s life, right up there with the death of a loved one.  And it is the “death” of a relationship which was initially intended to last a lifetime.   Even for the spouse who has decided the...

It’s time! Now what and how?  I didn’t anticipate what you might call brain fog around the division of my marital estate. I’d worked in personal finance since 1998 and knew my financial world as well as possible. The peace-of-mind I received from having guidance from...

It’s no secret that a divorce can be tough. There are emotional, financial and legal issues to consider. Before you decide to move forward with your divorce, it’s important to go through a pre-divorce financial checklist. Doing this will make it easier when the time...

As the “longest year ever” starts to draw to a close, we turn to thoughts of the holidays.  The Halloween inflatables have come down, the candy has been eaten (except for that secret stash in the pantry!), and plans are being made for Thanksgiving and beyond.  But how...

If this is your first holiday season since your separation, then now is the time to start thinking about what the holidays are going to look like this year.   One thing is for sure, they are going to look a lot different than all of the years past.   Here’s a few tips...

Is it time for us to divorce or do we both have one more genuine attempt left in our emotional and / or financial bank? This and so many other questions are best answered when we have a clear head and are able to make sound decisions. So, how is that possible when...

Can you believe it? The Holidays are upon us. I do not know where the year went. I guess COVID messed with my internal clock or something because although I cannot wait for the “New Normal” to return to the “Old Normal,” COVID will impact how we celebrate this Holiday...

Having a team is an amazing benefit of the Collaborative Divorce process. Both parties have access to a group of professionals who can help you learn how to advocate for yourself. That is a skill that you need to take with you post-divorce, which is extremely...

As a divorce lawyer, I am often surprised by the questions I hear from my clients reflecting common misconceptions about divorce that they’ve picked up from friends, relatives and the media. The most common misconception is that “there is no such thing as a friendly...

The adversarial justice system ensures that the accused can push back, and fight allegations brought by the state. But that system rarely produces an equitable result when families go through a divorce. In many instances, one or both spouses find themselves in...