During the divorce process, you will likely meet many professionals. The professionals you meet depend on the circumstances of your divorce and the demands that accompany them, such as the need to appraise a small business or a rental property. Couples who choose collaborative divorces often have fewer interactions with outside professionals than those who divorce through litigation or mediation, but there are very few divorces that do not involve some interaction with an outside professional for the couple.
Below are a few examples of professionals you might meet during the divorce process:
Divorce Financial Specialist
A divorce financial specialist is an accountant or financial adviser who determines a couple’s net worth. The court uses this professional’s findings to determine a fair asset division settlement for the couple. This individual may work with the real estate or business appraiser to determine a couple’s net worth as well as look at all aspects of their financial life like their incomes, their debts, and other assets such as retirement and brokerage accounts. A divorce financial specialist can also make recommendations to the couple and the court about taking certain action with the assets, such as selling the couple’s home versus one partner buying out the other partner’s interest in it.
Child Custody Evaluator
To determine an appropriate child custody arrangement, an independent child custody evaluator may be brought in. This professional’s job is to analyze all factions of your child’s life, such as his or her relationship with each parent, each parent’s income and household stability, the child’s personal and academic needs, and each parent’s fitness to parent the child, to make this determination through a child custody evaluation.
Real Estate or Business Appraiser
If you own a home or other real estate, you will likely meet with a real estate appraiser to determine the property’s value in order to accurately determine your net worth as a couple. Similarly, if you or your spouse own a business, either together or one of you on your own, the business will need to be appraised to determine a fair value for it to factor into your asset pool’s worth.
Mediator
If you choose to divorce through mediation, you will work with a mediator to complete the process. A mediator is a neutral third party who guides a divorcing couple toward a fair settlement by facilitating a series of discussions about their goals for the divorce and how best to achieve them.
Work with an Experienced Winter Park Divorce Lawyer
The most important professional with whom you will work during the divorce process is your divorce lawyer. Your divorce lawyer needs to be somebody you can trust, somebody with whom you feel you can communicate openly. To begin working with divorce lawyer Aubrey Harry Ducker, Jr. of Sperling Ducker contact our firm to set up your initial legal consultation. During this consultation, Mr. Ducker will answer your questions about the divorce process and help you determine the next step for your divorce.