A compassionate professional, Cathleen Belmonte Newman will help you get your financial house in order when you start your divorce process.

Divorce is a complicated, stressful time – more so when your financial information is unclear or disorganized. A skilled financial professional can help you understand your situation, so you can move to the next step in the process more easily. Cathy realized this when her first marriage ended. "I’d spent 14 years in the financial analysis arena," she says. "Then I was faced with my own divorce and having to put together my financial history and needs."

This experience led Cathy to become a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), an advisor specializing in budgeting and analysis for divorcing clients. She recommends that people approach a financial professional such as herself before working with an attorney. "This way, you save some money and anxiety in the long run," she explains. "Without basic budgeting, you cannot accurately forecast your future."

Cathy emphasizes that she isn’t an accountant or financial planner. "I focus on a critical part of the up-front process – budgeting and setting forth your future needs. Without that information, you’re incapable of evaluating settlement options." She synthesizes all the raw data about your finances into a comprehensive analysis that’s easy for you, your lawyer, and a judge to understand. "If the client is involved in a trial, I can testify as an expert on behalf of my client regarding their financial needs." With more than 20 years’ experience in her field, she’s as adept at working with clients’ attorneys as with clients.

Her empathy and encouragement are also considerable advantages. "I’m easy to get along with and make clients feel at ease," says Cathy. "I’m the least intimidating person they’ll meet in the process; that’s my nature. I’ve been in their shoes, so I can relate." Cathy, a former Board Member of the Lilac Tree (a non-profit organization that assists women through the divorce process), also understands how frightening it can be for women to be on their own for the first time. "It’s difficult to face settlement decisions unless you know where you currently stand. Some women may be incapable of evaluating settlements because they don’t have the facts of their financial lives. With me, you go through the process a little less afraid."

Cathy aims to empower clients both during and after divorce. "Clients come to me in an emotional state, and my goal is to show them that from a financial perspective they will be OK," she says. "Don’t be afraid of your finances. Be proactive about learning your finances and figuring out what your financial goals are." Many clients, she adds, find that they later manage their finances more easily than when they were married. "They become a participant in their own future, rather than letting others decide it for them. That’s the best gift I can offer."

The numerous testimonials Cathy receives are proof of her consistent success. One client called her "warm and empathetic while being objective and honest... exactly what is needed during this difficult period." Another wrote, "It is a rare gift to find someone such as Cathy, who will gracefully guide you [through the divorce process]."

For Cathy, making a difference in people’s lives is the greatest reward. "I love what I do," she says. "Anybody who’s gone through it knows that divorce is a difficult, painful process. Giving people hope for the future is very fulfilling."

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please contact:

Cathleen Belmonte Newman, CDFA, MBA F4 Financial CityPark Corporate Center 250 Parkway Drive, Suite 150-6 Lincolnshire, Illinois 60069 Telephone: 847-634-2219 Facsimile: 847-821-8487 Website: www.f4financial.com e-mail: cathy@f4financial.com

Cathleen Belmonte Newman has written the following article that can be read on DivorceMagazine.com:

FAQs:

• "I'm thinking about getting a divorce. How can a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) help me?"