Going through a divorce can be a complicated process. Working out maintenance and child visitation, how to divide a business, debt, etc. can all add to the stress of your divorce. If a couple’s finances are particularly complex, it may require a forensic accountant. A forensic accountant for a divorce is someone who details all the debts, assets, and other financial aspects in the divorce and presents that information in a courtroom. Divorce attorneys can help with general financial aspects of a divorce, but for more complex matters it may be necessary to work with a forensic accountant to ensure the finances are taken care of properly.

How Can Forensic Accounting Help Me?

Forensic accountants are most often used in high net worth divorce cases but can be used by anybody if they are needed. Some of the ways a forensic accountant can help your divorce case by searching to see if there are hidden assets, evaluating the long-term impact of the divorce on finances, or determining the value of assets and evaluating expenses. To do so they will examine any deeds, stocks, investments, bank statements, etc. and compile everything together.

If you are going through a divorce, your time in the courtroom is crucial in setting the tone of your case. Making a mistake in the courtroom can negatively affect your divorce and lead to a less advantageous settlement for you. Taking time to prepare before you are actually present in the courtroom will make it much less likely you make a mistake, so do your research before your time in court. These tips will help you make fewer mistakes and ensure your courtroom time goes smoothly.

Emotions and Body Language

While you are present in the courtroom, your actions will be noted. Rolling your eyes, laughing, angry outbursts, etc. will all influence the court’s perception of you and seem disrespectful. Even if you are not saying anything, body language is a good indicator of how you are feeling. If you let your body language show your emotions, even if you are extremely emotional, it will show the court that you cannot keep yourself in check, which will not be beneficial to your case.

Married couples often disagree over aspects of their lives together, such as what movie they should see, their spending habits, or the details of how to raise their children. Currently, there is also evidence that political ideology is causing more divorces than before because of the shift in the political climate of the United States. A study done by Wakefield Research, a polling research firm, examined the effect political ideology has had on marriage since the 2016 presidential election.

Breakdown of the Results

Wakefield sent out a survey to couples to ask about the effect the political climate is having on their relationship. The data they received indicated that 11% of Americans have ended a romantic relationship because they disagreed with their significant other on political ideology. Millennials were even more likely to say they ended a relationship due to politics, with 22% of millennials responding say they ended a relationship due to political affiliation.

Each person has been happy or sad because of the weather and the changing of seasons. Each season brings different challenges with it in all aspects of life, such as bundling up for the winter or trying to stay cool in the summer. Could it be possible that divorce rates are affected by the seasons as well? Most people do not generally think of divorce as impacted by the seasons, and there are numerous reasons why a couple undertakes the divorce process. A study done at the University of Washington by Professor Julie Brines examined divorce rates to see if they were affected by the seasons at all.

The Results

The study found there are patterns where divorce rates spike at certain times of the year. The data collected over a 14 year period shows that the divorce rates peaked in March and August. March is usually right around winter is considered to end, and August often when it starts to cool down. Divorce rates spiking in March and August seems to indicate that divorce rates are affected by the seasons, but also by holidays.

Divorce is emotional and stressful for all parties involved but can be especially hard on children. Parents separating brings up a whole range of feelings for the children, such as anger, sadness, and guilt. When a couple is going through the divorce process, it is important to try to make it as easy as possible for the child. Co-parenting can often help with the sudden change. Co-parenting occurs when divorced parents share the responsibility of raising the child. In order for co-parenting to work, you and your ex need to be on the same page when it comes to raising the child. Being on the same page will be much easier if you follow these tips.

Set Rules and Stick to Them

Both parents need to agree on a set of rules and stick to them as a unified front. Having one parent enforce a rule while the other does not leads to confusion and for the child. It also makes one parent appear more strict than the other and can lead to resentment and excuses when trying to enforce the rules that are set forth.