Sign up for our Email Newsletter For Email Marketing you can trust February 4, 2010 8th Annual Conference  Association of Divorce Financial Planners September 23-25, 2010 Microsoft Briefing Center 1290 Avenue of the Americas (52nd Street), 6th Floor New York, NY  11019 We will be returning to Microsoft in New York City for this year's annual conference, taking advantage of their newly renovated, comfortable and beautiful space.  This year's conference will take place Thursday, September 23rd through Saturday, September 25th and will consist of a pre-conference institute (ADFP University) comprised of helpful coursework for both beginner and advanced practitioners plus 2 whole days of workshops covering timely and important topics in divorce financial planning & analysis. We are in the very early planning stages for the conference and need your input.  This is YOUR CONFERENCE and YOUR ORGANIZATION!   PLEASE SAVE THESE DATES!!! We are very much looking forward to seeing you!!!   We're Hiring! The ADFP is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit professional association run BY ITS MEMBERS, FOR ITS MEMBERS.  We're currently looking for the following.  Please contact Pam Humbert, ADFP Administrative Assistant, at adfp@optonline.net (1-888-838-7773) if you'd like to help:  Secretary, Board of Directors  Treasurer, Board of Directors  Developer and Editor of ADFP Divorce & Finance Blog (no programming knowledge required)  Education & Training Subcommittee Member (work on the development of educational and training programs for members). Help Yourself, Help the ADFP 1.       Let us know about any activities, articles, etc. you are involved with so we can publicize them in ADFP News, our newsletter. 2.     Submit articles to adfp@optonline.net for publication in ADFP News or on our website, www.DivorceAndFinance.org. 3.      Link your website to www.DivorceAndFinance.org. 4.      Participate in divorce blogs and divorce discussion forums/bulletin boards and mention divorce financial planning and analysis and the ADFP in your post.  January 12, 2010 Evaluating Professional Licenses and Degrees in a Divorce - A Free Introduction  Valuing Professional Licenses and Degrees is a specialized skill in divorce. This is an introduction to the comprehensive training offered by Family Law attorney Jerry Cohen, designed to prepare divorce financial professionals in this skill.  Attendees will have an opportunity to view the topics which will be covered in the actual training, including a working example of the FamCalc Evaluation Software which will be included with the actual training. Join attorney and trainer Jerry Cohen for this special introductory webinar.   Register for a session now by clicking a date below:   Sun, Jan 24, 2010 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST Sun, Jan 31, 2010 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST Sun, Feb 7, 2010 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST Sun, Feb 14, 2010 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST   November 5, 2009 The 2010 New York State Child Support Calculation- Getting It Right  Join Attorney and Trainer Jerry Cohen on November 16 for a Webinar on the 2010 New York State Child Support Calculation   A major change in the New York Child Support Standards Act (CSSA) has created a golden opportunity to examine the step by step process of the Child Support calculation. Attorney and trainer Jerry Cohen will cover the new $130,000 cap, address the skills required to ascertain the appropriate income for the calculation, and go through actual calculations. You will also learn how to recognize when the deviation "F" factors must be used to justify the agreed upon support amount. Sample reports and charts will be presented as a guide for attendees.     Title:   The 2010 New York State Child Support Calculation- Getting It            Right       Date:   Monday, November 16, 2009       Time:   12:15 PM - 1:15 PM EST   October 30, 2009 INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIVE DIVORCE TRAINING   Nationally recognized collaborative trainer Chip Rose is coming to Connecticut to conduct a 2 day interdisciplinary collaborative divorce training for lawyers, financial planners and mental health professionals.  This training is appropriate for those seeking basic training, as well as for those who want to increase their collaborative skills.   WHEN:  Thursday November 19, 2009:  9:00am to 5:00pm  Friday November 20, 2009:       9:00am to 5:00pm   WHERE: Sagemark Consulting 100 Northfield Drive, Suite 200 Windsor, CT  06095                        Sponsored by Collaborative Divorce Professionals: Leo V. Diana, Esq.  President                 Suzanne E. Caron, Esq. Vice President Angela I. Green, Esq. Secretary              Pamela J. DaFronseca, CPA,Treasurer   Description of the Training   The Center For Mediation and Collaborative Practice 550 Water St., Suite J-3 Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (831) 429-9721  (831) 429-8561 Fax     Collaborative Workshop for Collaborative Divorce Professionals   This workshop works well on two different levels.  For the relatively new collaborative practitioners it provides the basic understanding of how to create a framework that responds to the needs of the clients.  For the more experienced practitioner, it provides that same understanding of the design of an effective and strategic process.  The advanced practitioner will be challenged by the opportunity to take his or her practice models and skills to a significantly more challenging level.  The common framework is the creation and implementation of a client-centered process that effectively addresses client need.    The first morning of a two day workshop focuses on gaining a more meaningful understanding of "who the clients are" and "how they come into the process." These open questions demonstrate one of the most critical skill development tasks, which is learning to employ the art of the question.  Learning how to lead the clients to their own important and constructive resolutions is a challenge that is counterintuitive to those trained in the practice of adversarial advocacy.  After building such a client-centered model, from the ground up, we then test the model with role play exercises to put theory into practice.   The second day is a combination of taking the work of the first day and applying it to a role play scenario of an initial collaborative meeting.  The role play adapts to an interdisciplinary or team practice model, as well as a non-interdisciplinary model depending on the makeup of the group of participants.  In the second day, specific skills are integrated into the process with a goal of raising the professional facilitation to the highest level of success for the clients.   The workshop will involve interactive dialogue, presentation of conceptual frames for the process and specific skillsets, as well as role play exercises to put the lessons learned into application.  Specific topics would include:   Strategic identification of the shared goals of the clients; Creating a specific process framework to address relationship dynamics; Designing a specific process framework for addressing financial issues; Obtaining client buy-in to the process design; Dealing with threshold emotional issues as part of the process design (or what every collaborative professional needs to know about responding to emotional issues-not just the coaches!); Strategic approaches to addressing specific issues of process and substance; How to make molehills out of the mountains of "impasse;" The art of the question-aikido and process management-how to use the art of the question to advocate for client success; Addressing the responsibilities of the professional and clarifying the responsibilities of the client; Preparing the clients for negotiation and designing the process to maximize client success in negotiation Addressing issues involving the strategies and behaviors of participating professionals-specifically the "non-collaborative" counsel. About the Presenter Chip Rose is Director of the Mediation Center in Santa Cruz, California and certified as a Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.  Chip maintains private practices in Mediation and Collaborative Practice in Santa Cruz, California.   Chip is recognized nationally and internationally as an innovator and expert in the field of mediation and collaborative conflict resolution.  He is a past member of the Board of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), the first international organization in the field of Collaborative Practice.  An adjunct faculty member of the Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine University School of Law, he teaches workshops in basic and advanced mediation and Collaborative Practice.  Chip is the author of:  "Mediating Financial Issues: A Theoretical Framework and Practical Applications," in the 2004 compendium Divorce and Family Mediation: Models, Techniques and Applications by Folberg, Milne and Salem; co-author of "The Psychology of Divorce" with Don Saposnek in the Handbook of Financial Planning for Divorce by Crumbley and Apostolou (1990); and, for the past 13 years has been writing "The Creative Solution" column in the quarterly Family Section Newsletter of the Association of Conflict Resolution (ACR).  Since 1994, Chip has also been providing training throughout the United States and Canada in the theory and application of Collaborative Practice.   More information regarding Chip Rose and the content of his workshops and seminars may be accessed on the website www.mediate.com/crose. September 28, 2009 Challenges of Divorce in Today's Economy Another Great Success! Our seventh annual conference was a wonderful first full two-day conference, which drew close to 90 attendees from 14 states.  The geographical diversity of representation is a key force in ADFP's growth and push to develop local chapters in every state.  California is our newest chapter with a potential for 20 more within this next year.  We were very pleased to welcome our international peers from the Netherlands*, whom we will help promote and support the concept and delivery of divorce financial planning services in their country.     Geertje Tuinema*, Barbara Stark, Amy Whitlatch, Ingrid Leene*, and Lili Vasileff   Media was present at our event and we will alert you to any published articles that follow up on our conference.    We are especially grateful to our recurring and new sponsors/exhibitors, who enable us to produce a successful conference each year.   And, adding a little entertainment to our agenda, we welcomed Al Frankel and The Blues Dogs Trio at cocktail hour on Friday and the Play with Your Food theater group who performed three thought-provoking short plays on money and divorce on Saturday.   Some key highlights from our conference are summarized below:   "Divorce in Tough Economic Times" - Lili A. Vasileff, CFP, CDFA and President of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners   In today's world, two of the biggest negatives in life are unemployment and divorce.  Lili Vasileff discussed the current economic situation and the financial challenges facing divorcing couples.  Financial stresses not only break up marriages but threaten to negate the clean break most divorcing spouses envision.  Consequently, divorcing spouses face new times: staying married until they achieve financial stability; or, divorce and stay together until they are financially better off, putting at risk their ability to move on independently post-divorce.  Unemployment for persons over 45 years old is the highest in 60 years.  Compounding unemployment is a host of additional factors: home foreclosures, credit crunch, lapse in health care benefits, homelessness, and the struggle against total poverty.  For those already divorced, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers reports 42% of its members report an increase in modifications to support.  Are there times when we should advise against divorce? How do we advise for outcomes that may prove unworkable at best and deceptive at worst?  How do we recession-proof our business to serve those most in need, instill trust, and inspire confidence in the benefits we offer?    "Development of Financial Information: The Lawyer's Perspective" - Barbara Stark, JD   Barbara Stark, author of "The Friendly Divorce Guidebook for Connecticut, 2nd Edition," discussed the process of divorce from the lawyer's perspective and of the attorney/divorce financial professional relationship and integration of our interdisciplinary skills.  Attorney Stark spoke of the invaluable information that divorce financial professionals contribute to the divorce process and further insight as to what other information would be helpful to lawyers from divorce financial planners.     "13 Common Financial Mistakes Made During the Divorce Process" - Carl Palatnik, PhD, CFP, CDFA, and AAMS and executive vice president of the Association for Divorce Financial Planners   Carl Palatnik discussed actual situations he had come across in his divorce financial planning practice, situations involving such issues as distribution of property, support and taxation.  Financial issues associated with these are complex and mistakes can be avoided through the involvement of outside financial experts.  He also discussed the use of divorce financial planners in reviewing agreements.     "Interdisciplinary Collaborative Divorce: Harnessing the Power of the Team" - Pauline Tesler and Peggy Thompson   Pauline Tesler, J.D. and Peggy Thompson, PhD were this year's distinguished Pioneering Award recipients.  With a rapt audience, they gave a keynote address providing an overview of their revolutionary and evolving ideas of interdisciplinary collaborative divorce and how it not only improves the process of divorce, but also the family system.  Attorney Tesler and Dr. Thompson together spoke of the importance of a Divorce Financial Planner in collaborative divorce and how it not only improves the process of divorce, but also improves the family life and specifically, the children.  They are co-authors of the book "Collaborative Divorce: The Revolutionary New Way to Restructure Your Family, Resolve Legal Issues, and Move on with Your Life" and stayed to sign many books purchased by attendees.  Dr. Thompson proceeded to present an advanced collaborative workshop on communication skills and later joined us for cocktail hour and dinner.     "Financial Considerations in Settling the Marital Residence" - Susan Moussi, CPA, CFP, CDFAand co-director of the Ohio chapter   Susan Moussi discussed the many options surrounding financial decisions and the marital residence.  These include: selling the house, buying out spouse's share, selling to one spouse, owning the home jointly and other relevant information critical to know while advising a couple divorcing.  She also shared pertinent implications regarding income taxes related to sale of residence, strategies for buying out the spouse's interest, and other important issues regarding settling the marital home.     Susan Moussi, Linda Ursin, Maria McKeon   "How to Turn Straw into Gold - Overcoming Divorce-Related Financial Issues in the Current Economic Climate" - Lee Slater, CFP, CDFA, Stacy Francis, CFP, CDFA and Bill Donaldson, CFP, EA, CDFA   This panel of experienced divorce financial planners described financial strategies that are effective in the current economic environment for divorcing spouses.  They engaged interactively with the attendees and discussed in depth how to capitalize a divorce (provide for or free up funds); how to approach the necessity for a former stay at home spouse to get a job "even" when unemployment rates are at historical highs; how it is nearly impossible to guaranty in this economy sufficient cash flow post divorce for spouses to maintain prior lifestyle and spending.  It is evident that access to certain financial tools simply is no longer to be taken for granted: credit has tightened, refinancing a mortgage is more difficult, and bankruptcy is tougher to negotiate.  With job security tenuous, even children's budgets should come under close scrutiny and retirement expectations may have to be modified.    Bill Donaldson, Stacy Francis & Lee Slater, Panelists    Practitioner Sessions: Standards, Protocols, Ethics and Integrity in Divorce Financial Planning Elizabeth Cox, CFP, CDFA, Lisa Gresham, CDFA, Barbara Stark, JD, Dan Caine, Founder of Family Law Software, Lili Vasileff, CFP, CDFA   The ADFP is taking a leadership role in the critical area of enhancing practitioner skills, establishing proper conduct and practice standards, and advancing the integrity of practice.  We are working on developing continuing education programs for financial and legal professionals and promoting communication, networking and peer review.  For the first time, we are striving to provide members with specific tools and to establish consistency in our engagement letters, disclaimers, disclosures and reports.  We hope to create uniformity in the broad scope of tasks as well as in areas of knowledge and competence.  We ask for involvement of our members in this very exciting opportunity to shape the evolution and direction of our profession.    Testimonials from Those Who Attended Our Conference This Year:   "This is the best conference I have ever been to."   "The speakers this year were very diverse and presented a deep breadth of knowledge and interesting insight."   "Considering our tough economic times, topics were timely and important".   "This conference came at the right time, considering the tough economy and has given me hope and energy to motivate my clients."   "I feel better knowing the direction in which the ADFP is choosing to lead us - it is powerful to know we have an organization to unify our standards, protocols and help promote all of us".   "I feel like this year we have a lot to chew on regarding our profession and thank you for supporting us by giving us tools with which we can do our work confidently as divorce financial planners".   Additional Conference Pictures Ken Newman & Wayne Greenwald      Ken Neumann, Leonard Florescue & Lili Vasileff         Maura Carley (Center)     David Nigrelli and Frank Dippold August 17, 2009 ADFP Conference Update - Only 3 ½ Weeks to Go Something for Everyone & No Need to Lug Around Those Heavy Books Some of you may be having difficulty deciding which sessions you'd like to attend.  There are so many great choices!  The good news is that, instead of handing out heavy conference books the day of the conference, we are publishing the 2009 Conference Book online.  We'll send you instructions for accessing the Conference Book as soon as we receive your registration.  In the Conference Book you'll find detailed outlines and ancillary materials for almost all sessions.  This should help you make more informed decisions regarding which sessions to attend.  You also only need to download those materials you wish to bring with you to the conference.  Finally, there should be sufficient information in the Conference Book to allow you to follow up on those sessions for which you have conflicts but would like additional information. More good news - we still have flexibility and are able to reserve places for you at all of your preferred sessions.  We may even be able to accommodate last minute changes.  However, we are still recommending that you register as soon as possible, just to be safe, as there are only about 3 ½ weeks left before the conference starts.  Why We are Requiring Divorce Financial Planners to Attend Sessions on Practice and Professional Standards We have been working hard putting together materials to help standardize the divorce financial planning process and also to elevate the level of professionalism in the field.  We plan on rolling out a beta version of an "ADFP Report" at these sessions.  Our goal is to create a recognizable, professional and standardized reporting vehicle that will be sought after by lawyers, mediators and judges.  We will also be introducing documents such as sample letters of engagement.  Developing and improving upon Practice and Professional Standards is very important to our profession, so we're also hoping to benefit from your input during these sessions.  Some topics/issues we're considering discussing include confidentiality, defining the scope of an engagement, confidentiality, a Client Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, disclaimers and disclosures, the structure of the divorce financial planning process, closing letters, intake and other forms and educational, experience and professional requirements/standards for divorce financial planners. Please let us know now as soon as possible if there are topics/issues that are of particular importance to you.  We would like to incorporate some of your ideas into this program.   Important Notices Would You Like to Have Dinner with Peggy Thompson Friday, September 11th?  Make Sure You Indicate So on Your Application.  Space is Limited.  Interested in Starting an ADFP Chapter in Your Area?  Attend Our Early Bird Chapter Update and Development Session Friday Morning, September 11th   Join the ADFP Now and Save $100 on the Cost of Attending the Conference + Your New Membership Will Extend through December 31, 2010 June 11, 2009 New Feature on DivorceAndFinance.org As most of you know, our website www.DivorceAndFinance.org is highly ranked with the search engines for important keyword phrases such as "divorce financial planner" and "divorce financial planning." To further increase our reach and to give individual member web pages greater exposure, we have decided to give members the opportunity to publish articles on the site discussing various financial divorce topics. Once edited and approved, these articles will be posted on the site and linked to the author's/member's web page.* Please submit for consideration articles, outlines or submission ideas to adfp@optonline.net. As of this time, there is no limit to the number of articles a member can submit and no cost to members over-and-above the $225 annual membership cost. * Should a membership terminate for any reason, the ADFP reserves the right to continue to publish the previously published articles at its discretion and in a format of its own choosing, but with an acknowledgement of authorship. May 12, 2009 Pauline Tesler & Peggy Thompson Named 2009 Pioneering Award Recipients The ADFP is proud to announce this year's recipients of its prestigious Pioneering Award: Pauline Tesler and Peggy Thompson, co-founders of the interdisciplinary collaborative divorce method. Presentation of the award will take place at the 7th Annual Conference of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners, to be held Friday, September 11th and Saturday, September 12th 2009 (two full days) at the Microsoft offices, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York City. Tesler and Thompson will also be giving the keynote address and conducting a workshop at the conference. PLEASE SAVE THE DATE! Speaking of this year's conference... We are in the process of planning this year's agenda and would very much welcome your input. If you have any suggestions for topics, speakers, etc., please send an email to Carl Palatnik, CFP®, CDFA™ at carlp@divorceinteractive.com. Audio Link to Divorce Marketing Seminar. Audio Link to Rosalind Sedacca's and Christina Rowe's April 27, 2009 divorce marketing teleseminar. Special Offer to ADFP Members from Divorcenet The ADFP continuously explores ways to provide added value to our members. For example, we have recently obtained $25 discounts to the upcoming 2009 MatLaw Program on Equitable Distribution If you know of any upcoming programs or other potential sources benefits for ADFP members, please let us know. We will be happy to explore them as well. We are now pleased to report that Divorcenet is offering ADFP members a financial listing at $495 for a fourteen-month contract, which includes two free months compared to the usual annual term. ADFP members who already advertise with Divorcenet will also get two complementary months added to their current subscription period. For additional information, contact Catherine Knauer (catherinek@divorcenet.com; 800-980-9771 x161). April 22, 2009 Complimentary Marketing Teleconference Courtesy of Our Friend & Supporter Rosalind Sedacca Click here to register ... www.levelupmarketing.com/teleseminar.html We all know the divorce market is being hit hard by challenging times. Many couples are wondering if they can afford to divorce. With home sales plummeting, the stock market tumbling and a dramatic increase in foreclosures, divorcing couples' assets are dwindling. To thrive in today's economy - and keep attracting new clients - you need to increase your reach in targeting two vital markets: Couples facing divorce Attorneys, mediators and other members of the professional divorce community To do that you need to implement 21st Century marketing strategies that position you as a pivotal member of an effective divorce team - and "the" essential component to best serve your divorcing clients' financial needs. Want to know which strategies to add to your marketing arsenal? Join marketing consultants Rosalind Sedacca and Christina Rowe for a free one-hour teleseminar on How To Position Yourself for Greater Success - Despite the Economy. Monday, April 27th - 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST Click here to register ... www.levelupmarketing.com/teleseminar.html Rosalind is also the author of a new book on divorce and has helped us publicize our 2008 annual conference. She and her partner Christina, another divorce book author, understand the value our members bring to the divorce equation. For this reason they have agreed to provide this marketing teleseminar at no charge to our members and other professional contacts. During this comprehensive presentation you'll learn: How to quickly and cost-effectively create ebooks, CDs, DVDs, Special Reports or other useful products to sell or give your clients as a compelling marketing tool. How to use your product -- or someone else's -- to boost your credibility and prove your value to divorce professionals and divorcing couples. A little known strategy that gets divorce lawyers to recommend your services to their clients. The right way to use press releases to gain local media coverage in print, radio and television by tying your expertise into hot, newsworthy topics. This technique has producers and editors calling you for interviews. Why you need to have a blog and use social networking to reach out to your market and become a well-respected figure they can trust. How to get new clients by writing articles you can publish in local newspapers and magazines as well as on the internet. The business-boosting benefits of public speaking, teleseminars and workshops - along with the pitfalls to avoid. When times are tough, the tough take action. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn proven strategies that can make a big difference in boosting your bottom line. To register for this no-cost teleseminar event click here ... www.levelupmarketing.com/teleseminar.html April 7, 2009 Northeast Mediation Conference April 30, May 1-2, 2009 Tarrytown, New York This is the 26th annual conference of the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation (NYSCDM) and is co-sponsored by the Association of Divorce Financial Planners (ADFP). The ADFP will also have a table at the conference. ADFP members who do not practice in New York State are allowed to pay the member rate to attend. In addition to learning about cutting edge issues in a closely allied field we strongly support, these conferences are a great opportunity to meet and renew acquaintances with many of the most active and experienced people in the mediation community. More details, including registration information, can be found in the Northeast Mediation Conference Brochure. October 29, 2008 Below is a notice about an early registration discount for an upcoming tax symposium. This is an extremely well attend event (about 600 attendees) and the ADFP is one of this year's co-sponsors. In addition, Carl Palatnik, our executive vice president, will be participating in two workshops, one on Tax Planning Opportunities and Pitfalls in Divorce and a second, on Handling Tax and Financial Issues in Divorce Mediation. ************ Early Registration Discount for the 2008 LI Tax Practitioner Symposium expires at midnight on October 31, 2008. Fees per person will increase by at least $ 50.00 per day as of November 1st. ARE YOU REGISTERED? Additional discounts are available for multiple registrants of the same firm! Visit www.litaxsymposium.org for details and to register. Don't Miss this Event! CLASSES ARE FILLING UP FAST! *********** 2008 LONG ISLAND TAX PRACTITIONERS SYMPOSIUM Nassau/Suffolk Chapter of the NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CPA PRACTITIONERS The National Organization representing only Practicing CPAs! 22 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 110, Mineola, NY 11501 (5156) 997-9500 Fax (516) 997-5155 www.litaxsymposium.org September 2, 2008 You Can Still Register for This Year's ADFP Conference, but Hurry! Spreading Our Wings 6th Annual Conference of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners September 11-12, 2008 New York City Join the ADFP! Interact with Other Divorce Planners and Allied Divorce Professionals in Your Area! Help Start a Local Chapter! Get Involved at the Local Level! Aside from the opportunity to become intimately involved with a professional association whose primary mission is to promote the divorce financial planning profession, there are many ancillary benefits to ADFP membership. Some of these are outlined below: Professional web page including a photo and biographical and background information on www.DivorceandFinance.org. High search engine rankings for www.DivorceandFinance.org for important keywords such as divorce financial planner and divorce financial planning. Geographic listing in the Find a Planner! section of www.DivorceandFinance.org. National annual conference with continuing education credits for financial planners, attorneys and accountants (discounted membership rate). Professionally developed booth and brochures for promoting divorce financial planning and marketing your services at meetings, conferences and trade shows. Colorful brochures for marketing your own divorce financial planning services (available at reasonable cost). Geographically targeted ADFP listings on www.DivorceNet.com and www.DivorceSource.com. Large database of divorce financial planning and allied divorce professionals (local and national). Marketing and public relations activities promoting divorce financial planning. Periodic discounts and other perks on divorce-related products and services. Quarterly newsletter Listserv for communicating with other ADFP members about practice managements, Q&A, referrals and general exchange of information. Membership certificate suitable for framing Continuing education credits (CEU) for educational programs. Opportunities for leadership positions at the local level. Local networking opportunities. Where Does My Money Go? The ADFP is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit professional association. All Board of Directors members, Chapter Directors and Committee members, including members of the 2008 ADFP Conference Committee, who worked tirelessly to put together our best program ever, operate on a completely voluntary basis. Below is where the major portion of your money goes: Hosting, maintenance and development of www.DivorceandFinance.org, the ADFP website. Geographic listings on www.DivorceNet.com and www.DivorceSource.com Overhead for the annual conference Continuing education credits Administrative assistance and associated costs Marketing and public relations, including costs of exhibiting at conferences and courses $20 rebates per member to local chapters August 25, 2008 ADFP Annual Conference Rapidly Approaching The ADFP Has Done It Again! As part of our current public relations initiative, the Association of Divorce Financial Planners has once again been recognized as a resource for identifying and locating divorce financial planners across the United States. According to the August 15th Nolo's Divorce, Custody and Family Law Blog, "To find a DVP [divorce financial planner], ask your attorney if they're using one. Or, go to the website of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners or the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts and find a DVP in your area." What the ADFP is and What It is Not (An excerpt from a working draft of the ADFP Chapter Organizational Manual) The ADFP is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) association run by its members through a democratically-elected Board of Directors. It is not a business and has no profit motive. We consider the ADFP to be the voice of the profession, including allied divorce professionals supportive of integrating divorce financial planning into the divorce process. We believe a strong unified voice representing our members will help us achieve our mission of making divorce financial planning an integral part of the divorce process. We believe it is essential to operate at both local and national levels. We believe it is essential to embrace allied divorce professionals, welcome them into the association and work cooperatively with other divorce associations or entities. The ADFP is an independent entity and is not affiliated or competing with the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA), the Academy of Financial Divorce Practitioners (AFDP) or any company, school or organization offering divorce financial training or otherwise operating within the field of divorce. We are supportive of the IDFA and AFDP and strongly believe they provide an important and valuable service to the divorce and financial planning communities. Many of our members have earned CDFA or CFDP designations. We strongly urge similar designees to join and become actively involved in the ADFP, at both local and national levels. August 3, 2008 Where Should Someone Go If They're Looking For a Financial Pro to Help Them With Their Divorce? According to this month's Newsweek magazine, the answer is the ADFP website, www.DivorceAndFinance.org, which also features Stacy Francis, Co-Director of Greater New York Metropolitan (GNYM) area chapter. Speaking of the GNYM chapter, the recent article in Investment News covering the launch of this chapter led to chapter-building inquiries from across the country. And speaking of chapters, we are excited that our new Ohio chapter will be represented at this year's conference. An article in the August issue of FA Magazine , which is widely distributed to the financial community in the northeast, further highlights divorce financial planning, the ADFP and the annual conference. Finally, speaking of publicity, we have preliminary indications that some members of the financial media community may be covering this event. June 26, 2008 Carol Ann Wilson Founder of Divorce Financial Planning Profession To Be Honored at 2008 ADFP Conference By: Carl Palatnik, Ph.D., CFP®, CDFA™, AAMS      Executive Vice President, ADFP Carol Ann Wilson This year's recipient of the annual ADFP Pioneering Award, honoring individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of divorce, will be Carol Ann Wilson, founder of the divorce financial planning profession. In the Preface to her book, The Financial Advisor's Guide to Divorce Settlement, Carol Ann writes: "In the late 1980's, I was hired by a woman from Connecticut who was getting divorced. She wanted me to represent her in court. As an expert witness, I would be able to show why she should get the property and maintenance award she was requesting. I flew to Connecticut armed with my reports. When we walked into the courtroom, the husband's attorney said to the judge, 'Your Honor, we request a continuance so that we can find our own expert witness to rebut Ms. Wilson's testimony.' My client's attorney's response was, 'Your Honor, there are no other experts like Ms. Wilson. She is the only one in the United States.' I thought to myself, Wow! Why should this judge listen to me if I'm the only one out there? So, right then, I decided to start teaching other financial planners how to develop the same expertise I have. . . . Well! If I could do it in Colorado, then others could do it in other states and we could make a difference. That was an exciting thought. After the experience in Connecticut, I felt that if other financial planners all over the nation were doing the same thing-presenting data that showed the financial results of any given settlement-it would become an accepted, credible profession. It would become easier for all financial planners' expertise to be accepted in court. We would present data that would help people reach reasonable settlements. In turn, judges could-and would-make clearer decisions." My Own Story In the spring of 1994, I flew to Colorado to be trained in divorce planning by Carol Ann Wilson. This was one of her first forays into making her dream a reality. The training was in a local hotel, and there were about 8 of us in the room. Carol Ann rented computers for each of us so we could learn how to use her Divorce Plan™ software, software she had developed that enabled her to do post-divorce economic forecasting, which made the divorce process smarter and helped people arrive at fair and workable outcomes. She was accompanied by a programmer who was tweaking and working some bugs out of the software as we studied. Carol Ann's original work has endured. Iterations of her software and the course she taught then are still the primary resources used to train people today to work in this field. Shortly after I took her course, Carol Ann began to credentialize the people she had trained to work in this new profession. She labeled them "Certified Divorce Planners" (CDP), a designation that has recently evolved into Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™ (CDFA™). And she established the Institute for Certified Divorce Planners, an entity designed to educate people to work in the field, help them build knowledge and skills and help them build their divorce planning practices. Today, as a consequence of Carol Ann's initial efforts, several thousand people have been trained to work in this profession and recognition of the added value divorce financial planners bring to the divorce process increases daily. This would not have happened without Carol Ann's initial efforts! This Year's Annual ADFP Conference: September 11th and 12th, 2008. Save the Dates! I came back from Colorado in the spring of 1994, excited and armed with my new knowledge, anxious to make my contributions to the field. I believe I might have been the first person from New York that Carol Ann had trained. I was ready to change the way divorce was being practiced in New York. I did not get my first divorce case until 1997. During those 3 quiet years, it became clear Carol Ann was right. Why would anyone listen to me if I was "the only one out there?" This led to the establishment of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners, and the rest is history. I can honestly say the ADFP has helped me gain the recognition and respect practitioners in this profession deserve, as well as build relationships with allied divorce practitioners. In short, the ADFP has helped me build my divorce planning practice more than any marketing method I have ever tried.

The ADFP does not endorse, support or recommend specific members. It is your responsibility to carefully research, interview and identify competent and trustworthy professionals before you hire one. All ADFP members are independent practitioners and most are certified, licensed and/or approved by a recognized Board, Agency or State Licensing Authority. This information is provided to the ADFP by each member annually and the ADFP does not validate member credentials. You should verify such credentials with the appropriate granting authorities, including but not limited to public, private, and state licensing boards. As independent practitioners, each member maintains his/her own fee schedule, business practice, location, and credentials. Practitioners listed on this website are current, paid-in-full ADFP members, in good standing. If a divorce practitioner is not listed on this website, please contact the ADFP directly to confirm his/her membership in the ADFP at 1-888-838-7773 or by contacting the president directly.

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