Three Reasons Why You Need Hire a Forensic Accountant...

We all know divorce is expensive. Most divorce lawyers ask for retainers

between 3,000 and 5,000 dollars. So it can come as a shock when your lawyer recommends you hire a forensic accountant.

These professionals charge anywhere from $5,000 and up. It is a huge divorce expense and you may be wondering if you really need to hire one.

Although a forensic accountant may be expensive, if there are substantial assets to be divided, it can be money well spent. I know of a woman whose husband offered her a large settlement after discovering his business would be evaluated by a forensic accountant. Apparently he had been less than truthful on his tax returns and was fearful the accountant would find out and report the findings to the court.

Here are three reasons why you may need a forensic accountant:

1. You own a business. The forensic accountant can provide a valuation of what he thinks the business is worth. It is crucial that you know the true value of your business when negotiating your divorce settlement.

2. Your ex owns a business and you do not have access to the business records. Ex-spouses' have been known to manipulate business records in their favor, especially if it is a cash business. If you have not been part of the daily operations of the business and do not have the financial records, you will need a forensic accountant.

3. You have reason to believe your ex is hiding assets. If you have any reason to believe that your ex is being dishonest and may be hiding bank accounts, selling assets or resorting to sneaky behavior when it comes to the family finances, you may need both a forensic accountant and a private investigator.

READING MATERIAL

Generally I like to read a book before I recommend it to anyone, but I can’t resist pointing you in the direction of “If You Want Closure In Your Relationship, Start With Your Legs: A Guide To Understanding Men,” by Big Boom. Apparently it has just won first prize in a poll for the oddest book title of the year, leaving “I Was Tortured By The Pygmy Love Queen,” by Jasper Mc Cutcheon in second place. Click here for more details.

I have checked them both out at Amazon but curiously as yet nobody has rated, reviewed or even admitted to reading them.

Deadbeat Dads Pay Child Support When Hunting Licenses Are Revoked..

Several states have implemented a new policy of denying fishing and hunting licenses to deadbeat parents who are behind on child support.

The plan has been a great success, with the state of Illinois collecting $130,000 in back child support.

One man in Maine reportedly paid $30,000 in child support arrears just so he could keep his hunting license!

What is wrong with these fathers? They have no problem abandoning their children financially, but cannot live without hunting and fishing? When I first heard about the plan to deny fishing and hunting licenses I assumed that if a person refused to pay child support, they were not going to care about not being able to fish or hunt. Obviously I was wrong.

How sad is it when a parent cares more about his own pleasures than the needs of his children. Wake up deadbeat parents. It is time to step up to the plate and take care of your children. You should be ashamed. There is no justification for avoiding child support. I don't care if you hate your ex or think the judge made an unfair ruling. If you are unemployed, go get a job. Put your children first. They are counting on you.

LIKE MINDS

There are various factors which contribute to a successful marriage and without which a relationship can break down. In my own case, those factors include sharing the same ideals and principles as Outdoor Man. Indeed two things on which we both agree is that we do not go on holiday to save money or to diet.

So it is that we have returned from Switzerland today with empty wallets and wondering how long we can go eating only lettuce leaves.

Crazy Divorce News...

Recently there has been a surge in crazy divorce news. Here are some highlights:

-A Conn. firefighter jumped off a moving abulance when he spotted his soon to be ex-wife walking in town with her divorce lawyer. He then preceded to tackle the lawyer to the ground, knocking off his glasses in front of a crowd

of people.

- An Australian man is selling his life on ebay after his divorce. He says he wants to get rid of all his belongings and start over so he has no memories of his wife.

-Bon Jovi member Richie Sambora was arrested for DUI in California. No shock there, considering he has been to rehab twice in the last year. But what is shocking is that he had his 10 year old daughter and another child in the car while driving drunk. Now that is crazy.

Finally, Former NJ Governor Jim McGreevy's crazy divorce goes on and on with his former wife suing him for damages, saying she had no idea he was gay when she married him. He has retaliated by bringing in a former aide who claims to have had sexual tryst with McGreevey and his wife while they were married. Can this divorce get any dirtier or disgusting? Especially considering they have a young daughter who will someday read about this. How sad.

Are Divorced Women Angry, Desperate and Miserable?...

Of course not! But sadly there are some stereotypes out there about female divorcees. We are often cast as angry, bitter women desperate for sex. The term "Cougars" is now being thrown around to describe older women supposedly hunting down young men half their age.

Funny how I have not heard any derogatory terms used to coin divorced men. When a man gets divorced and starts dating a girl young enough to be his daughter, no one seems to notice.

I recently received an email about my book Seven Secrets to a Successful Divorce from a woman. Here is what she wrote: "Is there really a secret to a successful divorce? All the single women that I know are miserably single from what they tell me and almost 100% cannot find another man because they become too picky about the type of man that they are looking for."

I coach woman who are going through a divorce and most of the women I speak to are not "miserably single". In fact, many are relieved to be free from a unhappy marriage and excited about what the future holds. Although there may be some women who cannot get past their divorces and choose not to move on, they are the minority.

I think this kind of thinking is a great disservice to women . Most divorced women are raising kids, holding down full time jobs and trying to squeeze in a social life. Believe me, they have no time to be hanging out every weekend in nightclubs picking up young men in their 20's.

I think the stereotypes and myths about divorced women may stem from some people's inability to accept that women today can survive without a man. No longer are we destined to marry and stay in a miserable marriage, giving up our self worth. We can stand on our own, be successful and choose whether or not we want a man in our lives.

Rebound Marriages After a Divorce...

Sara Evans, country singer and former Dancing with the Stars contestant, revealed that she is engaged, just six short months after a nasty divorce battle. Even more shocking is the news that French President Nicolas Sarkozy , remarried model Carla Bruni, shortly after he divorced his wife of 11 years. His ex-wife also remarried in NYC over the weekend, only four months after their divorce was finalized.

What is going on with the trend of marrying again on the rebound shortly after a divorce? I have been divorced for almost 3 years and still cannot even imagine getting married again yet. I just don't get it.

After a divorce you need time to recover emotionally. Jumping into a new relationship too soon can be disastrous. What usually happens is that a person will find that the problems he or she had with their first partner are also in the new relationship. Until you have taken the time to reflect and analyze your marriage, the good, the bad and the ugly and take some responsibility for the divorce, you will just bring the same issues and problems from one relationship to another, never resolving them.

The time period after a divorce can be a great time to spend on yourself, learning to enjoy your own company ans rediscovering what makes you happy. After a divorce you need time to be single again before finding a new love. If you are contemplating a new romance shortly after a divorce, slow down and take some time out before committing too soon.