Marriage Audit and Planning Process

Marriage Audit and Planning Process

Steps:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Financial Planning For Single People

3 to 6 months Emergency Fund

The process of creating a strategy to help you grow and manage your money so you can achieve your financial goals. This includes, setting goals, assessing risk tolerance, choosing investments, asset allocation and diversification, tax considerations and monitoring and adjusting.

The process of creating a detailed roadmap for starting, running, or growing a business.  This includes identifying the proper type of business entity, your business goals and strategies, understanding cash flow, understanding revenue vs profit, operating expenses, marketing and sales strategies, management and operations, accounting and taxation.

The process of analyzing your financial situation to legally minimize your tax liability.  It involves using tax laws, deductions, credits and timing strategies to reduce the amount of taxes you owe – both now and in the future.

The process of identifying potential financial risks in your life or business and creating strategies to protect against those risks.  One strategy involves the acquisition of insurance to transfer risk to a company in exchange for a premium.  Risks are identified and analyzed.  Risks can be avoided, reduced, transferred or retained.

The process of preparing financially, emotionally, and logistically for the phase of life when you stop working full-time.  It involves setting goals for retirement, estimating the resources needed, and developing strategies to accumulate and manage those resources to support your lifestyle in retirement.  It is never to early, especially with compounding returns.  Consider contributing to available employer-sponsored retirement plans or an individual retirement account.

The process of creating a roadmap for a successful marriage.  This includes the identification and discussion of joint goals, assets, liabilities, income and expenses at the start of marriage.  A discussion of how the law handles financial variables in the event of a divorce and other options on how a family may want to approach finances.

STEP 1

Meet With Your Spouse-To-Be To Discuss Financial Goals (Include Your Financial Planner)

STEP 2

Consider Meeting With A Marriage Planning Lawyer To Discuss a Pre-Nuptial Agreement (And Discuss With Your Spouse-To-Be)

STEP 3

Get Married

STEP 4

Financial Planning For Couples:
Working Together to Build Upon the Planning Started In Step 1 And Adding these Additional Planning Areas


The process of preparing financially to pay for current or future educational expenses – most commonly for children’s or grandchildren’s college education, but also for your own continued learning or private school costs.  Involves the consideration of cost estimations, appropriate savings vehicles, investment strategies, available financial aid and scholarships, and tax considerations.

The process of organizing and preparing for the management, preservation, and distribution of your assets during your life and after death – in a way that honors your wishes, minimizes taxes, and protects your loved ones.

The process of preparing for divorce or getting your marriage back on track.  Includes the necessary record keeping, identification and valuation of assets and liabilities, and how a divorce would impact your marital and non-marital estate.  Also, involves the understanding of income (ability to pay) and need in the context of spousal support.  Provides clients with the necessary information to be educated on topics such as parenting plans, equitable distribution, spousal support, and child support.  Demonstrates how a pre-nuptial agreement or the law would impact the analysis of the various issues.  Finally, includes the potential discussion of a Post-Nuptial agreement when appropriate.

STEP 5

Divorce Planning Services Before Ultimately Deciding on a Divorce

Unsure about if you and your spouse want a divorce (are you InDivorce rather than InLove)? Consulting with Divorce Coaches with backgrounds in Marriage and Family Therapy and Family Law Financial Expertise; Perfect solution for couples who have no previous divorce planning or marriage therapy

Financial Planning For Couples Post Divorce – Get a Financial Head Start

Meet with Lawyer about Post-Nuptial Agreement

STEP 6

Divorce without Litigation (Mediation Planning)

Perfect for couples interested in a “fair resolution” who need help defining fair. Couples who want to avoid litigation but need to be educated to make decisions in their family’s best interest regarding Parenting and Financial Issues. Can include lawyers or not. Also known as Mediation Planning. Jon Stief Marriage Relief’s Guided Mediation Process begins with planning prior to mediation to make resolution more likely. All discussions take place prior to filing actual Petition For Dissolution of Marriage.

Perfect for couples who already have reached an agreement but need help with the formalities.

Includes two Divorce Coaches and a Mediator. Perfect for couples who want a coach in their corner during mediation to help them communicate and transition into a post-divorce life. Coaches are licensed Marriage and Family Therapists perfect for helping parents work through Parenting and Emotional Complexities.

A legal process in which a divorcing couple works with a team of professionals in hopes of reaching a mutually agreeable settlement without going to court. Each spouse has their own collaboratively trained attorney. In addition, the collaborative team may include neutral professionals like financial advisors, child specialists, or therapists. If the process is unsuccessful, the collaborative lawyers must withdraw, and new attorneys must be hired for litigation. Collaborative law is a good option for couples who want to avoid a courtroom battle, prioritize co-parenting, and maintain more control over the outcome.

STEP 7

Have You Reached a Mediated Marital Settlement Agreement?

File an uncontested divorce, receive a Final Judgment (the official legal divorce paperwork), and move to Step 10.

Keep Scrolling to Step 9.

STEP 8

File a Contested Divorce


Hire an Attorney or Proceed Pro-Se (Unrepresented)

  • Guided Mediation – Jon can assist attorneys (by agreement of attorneys or referral by Judges) with analyzing all financial issues during the pending matter with the goal of reaching a resolution. Perfect for attorneys looking for a mediator who can prepare for and assist everyone in resolving all financial, parenting, and discovery issues. Completed on a Flat Fee and includes complete mediation planning process.
  • Traditional Mediation – Jon can assist attorneys (by agreement of attorneys or referral by Judges) with an understanding of all financial issues during the pending matter with the goal of reaching a resolution. Limited planning. Perfect for attorneys looking for a mediator who can assist everyone in resolving all financial, parenting, and discovery issues. Completed on a hourly fee basis and includes limited mediation planning.

FAV Advisors, LLC (Forensic Accounting and Valuation Advisors) Perfect for a Husband/Wife and his/her attorney in matters with financial issues that cannot be resolved outside of Court and an expert opinion is needed to assist the Court in reaching a conclusion. A forensic accountant is not a mediator. A mediator cannot testify in Court. A forensic accountant’s role is to present an opinion to the Court.

STEP 9

Meet with Your Financial Planner Post- Divorce

Analyze new goals and implementation related to budget planning, investment planning, tax planning, retirement planning, etc.

Meet with Estate Planning attorney to update Estate Planning Documents

STEP 10

Jon’s Credentials

Attorney, Florida Bar

Member Since 2008

Personal Financial Specialist

Certification, AICPA

Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator

Certification

Cerfified in Financial Forensics

Certification, AICPA

Certified Public Accountant

License, State of Florida – #AC42208

Accreditate in Business Valuation

Certification, AICPA