Most people understand that going about their divorce alone is a bad idea. As a result, they will typically reach out to an experienced divorce attorney. However, aside from your attorney, there are quite a few professionals that could potentially play an important role in your divorce.
A CPA (certified public accountant) plays the role of sorting through you and your spouse’s shared finances. This results in you getting an accurate idea of how much money and assets you share. The primary documents that they use are tax returns, loan agreements, and mortgages. This type of expert is especially crucial in the case of one party being self-employed. The reason is that self-employment leads to a more complicated financial situation.
While a CPA is sufficient for typical divorces, under certain conditions, you may want to bring in a forensic accountant. What makes them different than a typical accountant is that they specialize in the investigation of finances, rather than merely compiling them. The most common scenario where you might use a forensic accountant is if you believe your spouse is hiding money or assets.
Sometimes, the party that is ordered to compensate the other spitefully decides that they do not want to pay benefits anymore. The solution they come up with is purposely losing their job or working a job that underpays them. If you suspect this is the case, you can hire a vocational evaluator and see if they agree. This opinion can be used in negotiations or court.
As you might imagine, negotiating child custody is one of the most contentious portions of the divorce process. Often, it is so difficult that a mediator or evaluator is brought in. A mediator counsels both sides and helps them come to an agreement, while an evaluator will gather evidence and make a report on the situation.
To split your assets reasonably, you need to understand what they are worth. This applies to everything, from something as simple as a piece of furniture to something critical like the value of your home. Getting a professional appraisal helps you ensure fair treatment.
Another area that can get confusing is retirement assets like 401 (k) accounts and pensions. To help you understand the legality of these assets, you can hire a financial expert that specializes in retirement plans.
Though divorce can be a frustrating and taxing experience, having the right team supporting you makes all the difference. That starts with a St. Louis divorce lawyer, but it can extend to many different experts, depending on your needs.
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