About Utah Divorce Planning

At Utah Divorce Planning, we specialize in helping high net worth clients understand the financial ramifications of divorce, make educated decisions regarding a divorce settlement, and create a financial plan for life after divorce. Our team can add value to complex cases with a minimum of $3 million in divisible assets.

Billy Peterson is one of only a handful of Certified Divorce Financial Analysts in the state of Utah. By using a CDFA first, as part of your divorce planning team, you can save time, stress and money and improve the chances of achieving the financial outcome you desire. An experienced CDFA gathers, organizes and analyzes financial material, helps identify marital assets and separate property and can project several outcome scenarios to show what is in your best long-term interest. A CDFA is never meant to take the place of an attorney, but can be an invaluable asset in helping to secure a successful financial settlement.

Reasons To Hire A CDFA

1. Financial analysis conducted early in the divorce process can save time.

The average length of the U.S. divorce process is one year. In a case with complex financial issues, it can drag out far longer. The longer a divorce takes, the more expensive it is for both parties. In the beginning stages, both parties spend a great deal of time trying to get a clear understanding of the financial aspects and terminology of the separation. A CDFA can clarify aspects of the pending decisions and help to empower people to make educated decisions throughout the proceedings.

2. A CDFA can help their client save money during the divorce process.

By using a CDFA professional, you will get a thorough understanding of the complicated decisions you need to make, and a clearer view of your financial future. Only then can you work with your attorney to craft a legal settlement that fully addresses your financial needs and capabilities. When a settlement is tossed back and forth between attorneys without clarity from clients about what is fair, realistic and in their best interests it is time consuming. Time is money.

3. A CDFA can help his or her clients to avoid long-term financial pitfalls related to divorce agreements.

Working with a client and their attorney, a CDFA professional can forecast the long-term effects of your divorce settlement. What seems fair today may shift a great deal over time. It’s important to take a long-term view of issues involving taxes, benefits and retirement. Developing a long-term forecast for your financial situation is far better than a short-term snapshot. Financial decisions must be made that not only take care of immediate family needs, but future needs as well.

4. CDFA professionals can assist their clients with developing detailed household budgets to help avoid post-divorce financial struggles.

A CDFA professional can help you think through what the divorce will really cost in the long run and develop a realistic monthly budget during the financial analysis process. Expenses such as life and health insurance, college education costs, and cost of living increases need to be factored in when agreeing on a final financial settlement.

5. Using a CDFA professional can reduce the amount of apprehensions and misunderstanding about the divorce process.

Misinformation and misconceptions about the divorce process can be detrimental. Many have false expectations that they will be able to secure a divorce settlement allowing them to continue with their accustomed style of living. Financial divorce analysis helps ensure a good, stable economic future and prevent long-term regret with financial decisions made during the divorce process.