Divorce Services

Regardless of the reasons, you and your spouse are engaged in divorce litigation and the financial complexities are overwhelming, confusing, and you might feel like you’re not getting much clarity from your attorney. Let us partner with you to ensure you make smart decisions on what you should be negotiating for. Are you sure it’s going to be enough?

You might have investments, retirement accounts, pensions, businesses, expenses, rental properties, etc. How in the world do you structure a property settlement that is fair and won’t get you into tax trouble? Would you like to be able to see in black and white how a settlement would impact your future? You have come to the right place.

We can partner with your attorney to help you navigate the financial waters of divorce with confidence and clarity.

Nancy Hetrick holds the MAFF™, Master Analyst in Financial Forensics through the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts and is trained in Lifestyle Analysis, Separate Property Tracing, and asset search. 

Collaborative Practice is a voluntary dispute resolution process in which parties settle without resort to litigation. In Collaborative Practice:

1. The parties sign a collaborative participation agreement describing the nature and scope of the matter;
2. The parties voluntarily disclose all information which is relevant and material to the matter that must be decided;
3. The parties agree to use good faith efforts in their negotiations to reach a mutually acceptable settlement;
4. Each party must be represented by a lawyer whose representation terminates upon the undertaking of any contested court proceeding;
5. The parties may engage mental health and financial professionals whose engagement terminates upon the undertaking of any contested court proceeding; and
6. The parties may jointly engage other experts as needed.

Collaborative Practice provides you and your spouse or partner with the support and guidance of your own lawyers without going to court. Additionally, Collaborative Practice allows you the benefit of coaches, child and financial specialists all working together with you on your team. In Collaborative Practice, core elements form your commitments to this process, which are to: Negotiate a mutually acceptable resolution without having courts decide issues. Maintain open communication and information sharing. Create shared solutions acknowledging the highest priorities of all. For local Collaborative Practitioners, see Collaborative Professionals of Phoenix.

Mediators often struggle with properly educating a couple on the financial complexities of their settlements. Not at Smarter Divorce Solutions. MediationPlus®  combines an attorney mediator with a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst trained in all of the financial intricacies of divorce. We combine our experience as financial advisors with an experienced attorney mediator to offer a whole new model – MediationPlus®. There’s no need to make agreements that aren’t fully informed, educated and future tested. At Smarter Divorce Solutions, we’re offering a mediation experience like no other. Facilitating communication is great, but don’t you want to be sure you have ALL of your property settlement options on the table? We provide  ideas for creative settlement solutions to ensure you will BOTH be ok in the next phase of your lives. With an attorney mediator to prepare your legal documents, why go anywhere else?

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At Smarter Divorce Solutions, we now offer flat-fee pension valuation and QDRO drafting services, and we would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding plan terms, election options or survivor benefits.

Gerard Zielinski specializes in the valuation and division of retirement benefits including Military Retired Pay and the Federal Service Retirement Systems. With over 5000 Qualified Domestic Relations Orders drafted, Gerard is a retirement plan expert with key competencies in plan terms, division options, valuation, taxes, survivorship issues and benefit election options. 

Our qualified and experienced staff is here to help. For more information, call our office or email us at QDRO@smarterdivorcesolutions.com.

Your divorce is final! Now some of the real work begins. Your accounts need to be consolidated, QDROs completed, bank accounts closed, wills redone, etc. It can be very overwhelming! Let us help you with all of those things after the divorce in order be sure you don’t miss anything important so you can begin the next phase of your life with confidence and control.

We’ll work with you as long as necessary to ensure that ALL of the terms of your settlement agreement are completed and you get the assets you’re entitled to.

As a Wealth Manager since 1999 and Certified Divorce Financial Planner with years of experience, Nancy Hetrick and Kristen Hilty are equipped to help you manage your financial life post-divorce to ensure that your financial plan has the best chance of success. Through our sister firm, Smarter Money Solutions, we partner with you for your new life post-divorce.

Services include:

• Investment Advice and Management
• Retirement Planning
• Education and College Savings Planning
• Small Business Finance
• Tax and Insurance Assessments
• Financial Coaching
• Estate Plannng
• Insurance Evaluations