I know that navigating complex property division in divorce can be a daunting and overwhelming experience. Over the years, I have witnessed firsthand the emotional toll it can take on my clients.
That’s why I feel compelled to share my top three tips for those going through this difficult process.
- Start by identifying your priorities: Before entering into negotiations, take some time to identify what is most important to you. This might include the family home, retirement accounts, or other assets that have significant sentimental or financial value. By understanding your priorities, you can better advocate for yourself during negotiations.
- This is a big one! Don’t overlook hidden assets: It’s not uncommon for one party in a divorce to hide assets from the other. This might include offshore accounts, cryptocurrency, or even valuable collectibles. Make sure you work with an experienced professional who can help uncover any hidden assets and ensure they are properly accounted for during negotiations.
- Consider mediation as an alternative to litigation: While litigation is sometimes necessary, it can be an expensive and adversarial process. Consider working with a mediator who can facilitate a more collaborative approach to property division. Mediation can help minimize the emotional and financial costs of divorce and often leads to better outcomes for both parties.
Remember, navigating complex property division requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to compromise.
By keeping these tips in mind, you can set yourself up for a smoother and more successful outcome!
Beryl McNeill is a Calgary divorce lawyer who strongly believes mutual respect and understanding go a long way toward resolving family law matters. As a Registered Collaborative Law practitioner in Calgary, she has dedicated her firm to amicable, cooperative negotiation as a means for settling divorces. Furthermore, throughout her law career, Beryl has seen the costs of adversarial negotiations, both financial and emotional. In emphasizing the collaborative approach, Beryl offers her clients a more efficient model that preserves personal and monetary assets alike.
More and more individuals are attracted to resolving their family law matters in a civil, respectful way. Therefore, they come to Beryl from many walks of life—as professionals in the oil and gas industry and their spouses, business owners, and working spouses with children. Clients say that even after a single consultation with Beryl they feel less stressed and more clear about the way forward.
Beryl understands the often fearful, emotional early stages of divorce. Incorporating skills developed from her training as a life coach, Beryl helps clients move beyond their stress response to more logical, creative thinking. Once there, she works with clients to discover what’s truly important to them in attaining divorce. Furthermore, she encourages clients to picture what a successful settlement would look like a year or more down the road as a means of focusing on their goals. By educating and empowering clients, Beryl seeks to transform the way they resolve family disputes—in a more constructive, intelligent and amicable way than would be possible otherwise.
Finally, Beryl is very active with the Family Bar and the Collaborative Law Community. Her involvement provides her clients with the assurance that she has her finger on the pulse of Family Law in Alberta, offering them a distinct advantage in their quest for equity and civility.