Sound financial guidance for your divorce.
Divorce is intimidating
As you approach divorce, you want certainty that you’ve done everything you can to secure your financial future. The problem is, divorce is new territory, so you find yourself wildly outside your comfort zone, and questions begin to swarm:
Will my family and I be okay?
What don’t I know that I absolutely should know?
What if I make a mistake that has irreversible consequences?
Navigating the divorce process shouldn’t be.
Hi, I’m David.
No matter where you are on your divorce journey, I’ve been there too — every decision carries more weight than the last, especially when family and finances are on the line.
That’s why I created Sand Oak Divorce Solutions, a divorce financial planning and consulting firm in Northwest Florida.
We exist to help you see your finances clearly and thoroughly, understand the impact of every decision, and secure an agreement you can count on for life.
David Smith, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®), Divorce Financial Planner, Certified QDRO Specialist™ (CQS™), Collaboratively Trained Divorce Financial Professional, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), Retired LtCol, USAF Dentist (Military Officer), Board Member – Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts™ (IDFA™), Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator, Member – Association of Divorce Financial Planners, Member – Florida Academy of Collaborative Professionals (FACP)
Every financial decision connects to each other, so we help our clients avoid surprises and secure an agreement that works in real life.
Consider us your safety net.
WE PROMISE:
Practical Solutions
We make sure you’re out of the dark and confidently in the know.
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Nothing is more frustrating than leaving a meeting more confused than when you walked in. We pride ourselves on making the complex simple, guaranteeing you have crystal clarity when it comes to your financial choices.
Impeccable Service
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Compassionate Responses
We respond to every request as soon as we can, always within one business day.
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Perhaps the wisest decision you can make in your divorce is scheduling a call with me before you hire an attorney.
By answering a few questions, we can ensure you start your process on the best financial footing.
Watch below to see how the Collaborative Divorce Process can be better for your family – both now and later.
Click below to learn about the benefits of Collaborative Divorce:
Alternatively, you can visit collaborativedivorceprofessionals.org or collaborativepracticeflorida.com.
Here’s how we help.
Divorce Support
Post-Divorce Support
Speciality Services
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Let’s talk to get your questions answered. Often, I can help or make a meaningful referral.
Let’s get started.
Schedule a call with us.
We’ll start by talking about the critical early steps you can take in divorce to protect your family and your finances.
Gain an ally.
I’ll be right beside you in the process, providing support, education, and a listening ear to help you navigate the financial aspects of your divorce with calm and confidence.
Secure your financial future.
From helping you see every aspect of your finances clearly to tying up the loose ends, we’ll get you through this.
I’ve seen how emotionally devastating and costly choosing the wrong divorce path can be.
I encourage anyone to call me for guidance at any point in their journey.
You might still be wondering…
Are you an attorney?
No, I’m not. I’m a CDFA® (Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®). I come from a financial planning background and have completed an intensive training program with continuing education. I am skilled in analyzing and providing expertise related to all the financial issues of divorce.
What exactly is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®?
A CDFA® professional has specialized skills and experience that enable him/her to analyze financial issues in divorce in both their short and long-term contexts. A CDFA® can take the offer on the table and project out 5, 10, 15, 20 years to show you your future financial picture, based on those offers.
It is important to note that we’ve made a commitment not to sell or discuss financial products (insurance, investments, annuities, etc.) while we are working with you, and we are not compensated on commission. This gives us the ability to remain objective and focused on you and the financial issues of your divorce.
Do I need both you and an attorney?
Most attorneys aren’t financial experts and struggle with intricate financial details, such as tax issues, capital gains, dividing property, and so on. That’s where incorporating the expertise of a CDFA® is critical to you being sure you’ve done everything you can to secure your financial future.
How much do your services cost?
What if I've already started my divorce process? Is it too late to work with you?
What are the collaborative divorce services you offer?
In collaborative divorce, the couple finds legal and financial solutions in an environment that is committed to fair and respectful negotiation. The couple and their lawyers pledge to not take one another to court. In addition to a neutral facilitator and a neutral financial professional, team members or consultants may include other professionals such as real estate experts, tax experts, child specialists, business valuators, etc.
Collaborative divorce offers many benefits over traditional litigation, including:
● the parties – not a judge – creatively determine the best way to provide financial support, allocate assets and debts, care for children, etc.
● a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect lessens the emotional strain
● costs are typically much lower than with litigation
● personal privacy is maintained
● no court proceedings, depositions, or subpoenas are required
● the timeline is often shorter, because the couple themselves control the pace of the process, vs the court
● post-divorce relationships can be preserved
As a Collaboratively Trained Divorce Financial Planner and Certified Florida Family Mediator, I’m excited to be a member of several Florida Collaborative Law Practice Groups. These are organizations of like-minded legal, financial, and mental health professionals all additionally trained in, and with a strong passion for, out of court, non-litigated practices and processes.
I can assist and work with:
● an individual client – either with or without an attorney,
● a same or opposite-sex couple (as a neutral financial “mediator”) – with or without attorneys, or
● through either the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process of collaborative divorce (as a neutral financial professional), or in Mediation as a Divorce Financial Consultant.
Are there services you provide that may help to prevent divorce and family division?
Yes. Our Collaborative Life-Planning and Collaborative Marriage-Planning Services help couples and family members navigate major life changes and events such as pregnancy, infertility, the death of a loved one, caring for an aging parent, the end of a career or loss of a job, when an adult child leaves home or returns to the nest, or planning for a first, second (or third, etc.) marriage. The collaborative life planning team works as trusted advisors, facilitating effective communication and drafting legal documents and written agreements defining roles, expectations, and guidelines.
It’s time for a trade.
Making decisions you regret.
Overlooking important components of your financial portfolio.
Confusion and fear about the divorce process and your financial future.
Making wise initial decisions that save time, money, hassle, and heartache.
Understanding your full financial picture and dividing assets and debts sensibly.
Securing a durable agreement that works in real life.
START WITH A FREE DOWNLOAD:
The Most Important Priorities In Your Divorce
Identify Your Priorities, Before Having Any Discussion With Your Spouse
Knowing your priorities will help you be confident in what to ask for, and what you can live without.
