A divorce financial analysis engagement moves through 5 steps, from the conflict check to testimony. Each step ends in something counsel can review, and the typical timeline shows how long each phase runs.
Engagement process
Retention and conflict check: We confirm conflicts, identify which financial questions are at issue and the relevant dates, establish the retainer, and set the deadline.
Records and data request: We request personal and business tax returns, financial statements, bank and investment statements, compensation records, and the account history needed to trace separate and marital funds.
Analysis and modeling: We reconstruct income available for support, value business interests under the applicable standard of value, document the marital standard of living from actual spending, and trace contested assets to their source.
Draft report and counsel review: We deliver a draft organized by question with schedules that tie to source documents, and review it with counsel before finalizing.
Final report and testimony support: We issue the final report and provide deposition and trial testimony, settlement conference support, and rebuttal of opposing financial analyses.
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. (n.d.). Statement on Standards for Valuation Services (VS Section 100). AICPA & CIMA. Retrieved August 27, 2026. aicpa-cima.com
National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts. (n.d.). NACVA professional standards and ethics. Retrieved August 27, 2026. nacva.com
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Current Population Survey (CPS). U.S. Department of Labor. bls.gov
U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). American Community Survey (ACS). U.S. Department of Commerce. census.gov