COLLABORATIVE FAMILY LAW

HAMILTON / HALTON GROUP

Transitions –The Financial Aspects of Separation & Divorce

Life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan.  Moving into or out of a relationship can be costly in both the short term and long term if you don’t fully understand all of the ramifications. Val Lewis helps people in these circumstances with a company she appropriately calls Transitions.

Val has been a part of the working world in many different capacities. She has worked in the family business for 20 years, and in fashion and finance. In 1993 she went to work with Investors group as a financial planner, and in 1997 took the option of upgrading her skills by taking six strenuous courses to become a Certified Financial Planner.

She soon found more and more of her practice was in the areas of financial advice to clients going into second marriages or living together, getting divorced, setting up estate plans and trusts.

This was not mandated by the company she worked with so she resigned and has chosen to take further training as a Certified Financial Divorce Specialist (2003) and in 2004 Val took her training in Collaborative Divorce.  With all these skills and a heart to serve, Val decided to open her own company, where she could focus on helping to solving the financial problems of couples either getting married or divorced.

‘Transitions’ is about giving people options so they can make informed financial decisions. Val explains, “When people are emotionally charged, the last thing they think about is how this will affect them long term.” She looks for easily understood solutions that will lead to financial stability.

Val can make sense out of all the numbers for both sides of the dispute, and offer reasonable solutions for all concerned. She works with both traditional and Collaborative Lawyers, Child Care Specialists and Divorce Coaches in the Hamilton – Halton area.

All of her consulting is episodic where she deals with one part of a lifecycle. It can be through pre-nuptial planning, divorce strategies, or estate planning. She works strictly for the client, offering her services as “fee for service” and there is no need to change from the financial planner or institution currently being used.

Whatever the situation, Val is there to help. As a victim services volunteer she is trained to address delicate situations. She offers unbiased opinions.  Her sense of fair play helps all in the end, making “life’s transitions” lot easier to handle.