ABD Retreats

In 2003, the Los Angeles County South Bay area collaborative practice group known as A Better Divorce began its continuing tradition of holding a retreat every two years. The accompanying photo shows the group in 2003 participating in our first retreat. The key to an effective collaborative divorce process is trust, and the group recognized early on that a biennial retreat would be a key building block in establishing trust among the professionals in the group—the attorneys, financial consultants, and mental health professionals. (Trust among ourselves is the foundation to establishing trust with our clients.) It has proved true, and […]

What is a Collaborative Divorce?

Divorce is often filled with roadblocks and detours, there can be so many gray areas that need to be worked through, and it can be financially and emotionally draining. But did you know there is a process that looks at the family as a whole? The goal is to help couples divorce amicably, co-parent together and keep the family unit intact for the future by not pitting couples against each other in a bitter court-litigated divorce. It is called a collaborative divorce. Let’s dive into the process to learn more about it. In a traditional court divorce, you will often […]

What Is A Litigated Divorce and Why There Are Better Options

Getting a divorce can often feel like a kick in the pants, emotionally, mentally and financially. Your world stops turning, and then when it’s all said and done, you are often unsure how you go on. This is especially true when you go through a litigated divorce through the court system. There are many different aspects of a court divorce. Let us share them with you: Litigation is considered the traditional divorce process that involves court proceedings Both spouses retain their own lawyer who represents them in the process Frequently court divorces become very heated and adversarial because the lawyer […]

What Are the Top Reasons for a Divorce?

It is an unfortunate moment in someone’s life when they realize the person they once loved with their heart and soul is no longer the person they want to remain married to, and a divorce is the only path forward. And when our team of collaborative divorce experts meets with couples for the very first time, we are often made aware of the reason for the divorce. We have found that for most divorcing couples, their reason for divorcing is often a common one. Here are a few of them: Physical, verbal or emotional abuse to spouse or children Marital […]

How to Lessen the Stress That Divorce Can Have on Children

Many experts will tell you that the stress from divorce closely equals the death of an immediate family member, such as a spouse or child. Sometimes divorce will take everything, financially and emotionally, out of you and leave you feeling lost. But there is a better way – a way that will lessen the sting and leave your family intact. It’s called collaborative divorce. In this model, you and your spouse have a team consisting of a neutral financial advisor, mental health experts and an attorney for each of you, ready to help both of you weather the divorce storm. […]

What You Should Know About Divorcing in Your 20s

Were you and your spouse married at a tender age? Maybe it was a whirlwind youthful romance? Or high school sweethearts? But now, after a few years you have realized, while in your 20s, you made a hasty decision to tie the knot. When you are in your 20s and experience divorce, you may feel like the odd person out because many people in this age range have not gotten married yet. Depending on how old you were when you got married before turning 30, studies show that the divorce rate for 1st marriages is between 25%-48%. And because of […]

What Happens to Your Social Security When You Divorce?

When you and your spouse have come to a point in your marriage where you feel it would be better for all if you pursue a divorce, it brings up so many emotions and questions, especially financial concerns. There are so many factors that need to be considered with the division of assets and debts. It can be overwhelming. But with the collaborative divorce process, couples have access to a neutral financial advisor. This financial advisor will help couples take an honest and unbiased look at their current and future financial landscape and guide them in drafting an amicable agreement. […]

What You Should Know About Splitting Assets During Divorce

When you find yourself starting down the path of divorce with your spouse, there are so many moving parts that you must factor in and understand how it changes the life you are used to. It comes as no surprise, your divorce will have long-reaching changes to your financial landscape that may last for many years. Collaborative divorce allows for a couple to divorce in a more peaceful, respectful manner by staying out of court. It also allows for a financial neutral to learn about all of the assets, debts, income and expenses and then give a clear forecast of […]

Keeping Your Relationship With Your Child Strong During Your Divorce

There is no doubt the marital separation road has numerous potholes, and often you are unsure how your family will be impacted. But did you know there is help for all involved, including your children? When you choose a collaborative divorce instead of an adversarial court model, you can divorce AND keep your family intact – it really can happen! The collaborative divorce model works on a team model with an attorney for each spouse, a neutral financial expert and mental health experts who are available to help find the best path forward for you, your spouse and your children. […]

Which Divorce Path Is Right for You?

When you begin to realize that your marriage is falling apart and the best path forward is to get a divorce, your mind then goes into hyper-drive because you are not sure which divorce process will work the best and keep your family unit intact. In California, there are four different types of divorce processes, let’s talk about each one: In a traditional negotiated or litigated divorce, the courts and attorneys take a key role in deciding your fate for financial support, division of assets and child custody. This method can be costly and it can take a long time […]