Jane’s Story

Jane was in the process of divorcing her husband of 24 years.  Like so many women in similar circumstances, she was stressed and fearful, concerned for her children and worried about her future.  The possibility that she could end up alone and penniless in old age after the divorce was very real to her.  Jane liked her attorney, but she simply didn’t trust that her attorney would fight hard enough for the financial settlement she felt she deserved.

Jane’s attorney explained to her that, because their salaries were “similar,” she should not expect spousal support, even after a long term marriage.  Her husband actually made 50% more in hourly wages than she did, which didn’t sound comparable to her.  Jane knew she had one shot to secure her future by negotiating a fair settlement, so she took the advice of a friend to work with a divorce financial planner.  As a CFP and a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), we compiled her data, compared spousal income projections, prepared reports and modeled different settlement scenarios.

Both Jane and her attorney walked into mediation armed with the data they needed to negotiate with more confidence.  Jane felt thrilled and relieved once the long, stressful day of mediation concluded.  She could now take back control of her life.  Jane continues to work with Seneschal, planning for the future, and now has the freedom to discover what’s truly important in her life.