"What role does the financial planner play in the Collaborative Divorce model? Do we need to involve one in our divorce?"

A financial planner serves as a neutral financial advisor. Rather than hiring "dueling experts", with each party hiring and paying for their own financial advisor, CPA, or financial planner, a neutral financial specialist is brought into the collaborative-divorce team to evaluate the parties' assets and income as a whole. Rather than focusing on what is best for one party, a neutral advisor will help design a division of assets and, if necessary, payment of alimony that is best for both parties.

Lori Barkus is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator and Circuit Civil Mediator and is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals as well as a member of the Board of Directors for the Collaborative Family Lawyers of South Florida. Her office is located in Weston, FL. This divorce attorney can be reached at (954) 349-7988. View her Divorce Magazine profile.