The Mitchell Hayes Blog

While reading the article by Catey Hill for Marketwatch below, I confess that I associated with item number four and know others that have experienced many other items on the list.  I worked for a man 25 years ago that shared with me that one secret to marital bliss was the way he and his wife managed their…

Sally Clark has written a wonderful article explaining mediation versus litigation.  Sally Clark is a trained direct child consultant qualified to speak to children where appropriate as part of the mediation process. Open a newspaper in early January and there are lots of articles about how this month is a divorce lawyer’s mecca. The media predictably…

Utilizing a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) can keep the costs of your divorce lower by helping you arrive at an equitable financial agreement. The CDFA can also help you to budget for 20 years out so that you will understand the impact of the settlement. Jane Bryant Quinn writes that: Families and friends are…

Over time, many couples get very busy with raising children, running a home, building careers, and pursing their interests.  If you have been married for a long time, chances are that your interests are not the same as your spouses.  For some, once the children are grown and gone the link to their spouse is…

Talk about airing your dirty laundry in public.  Can you imagine being served via social media?  Lily Hay Newman writes that in the case noted below, the Judge has granted permission for a man to serve his ex-wife via Facebook because he has unsuccessfully exhausted all other efforts.  We can easily see this spreading to other social…

If you and/or your spouse have a pension plan or a defined benefit plan, you will need a QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relations Order) if the non-employee is to receive any of the proceeds as part of your divorce settlement.  The following is a list of facts from the US Department of Labor regarding Qualified Domestic…

Many people going through a divorce paint their ex-spouse as a monster. The reality is that the divorce is normally painful for both although perhaps in different ways.  Walking a mile in the other persons shoes can be a good reminder of this.  By following the The Four Agreements: Be Impeccable With Your Word Don’t…

Michelle Crosby writes in the following article “divorce is not a legal problem. Divorce is an emotional and financial problem, it just has legal implications.”  Using a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™(CDFA™) to help you develop the financial blueprint for your divorce and your lives after divorce can provide immeasurable benefits.  The CDFA™can provide you with:…

Going through a divorce at any age is extremely difficult.  Going through a divorce just prior to or during your “golden years” comes with a unique set of challenges.  Retirement resources now have to accommodate two households.  A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™ can help you ensure the best possible outcome and provide you with a…

Not many people enter into marriage lightly.  We spend a lot of time picking the perfect mate.  We plan the perfect wedding and honeymoon.  Then we go about the business of building a life together.  Building the life includes blending families; acquiring assets (and debts); having children; and expecting happily ever after.  In many cases,…