Divorce specialists can help avoid financial mistakes

A certified divorce specialist is a relatively new breed of financial adviser who sifts though the monetary complexities of untying the knot.

Certified divorce planners don’t replace lawyers, but rather bring a financial expertise to the divorce process. Most often, their clients are women in their 40s or 50s, who haven’t before played an active role in managing the family finances.

Nicole Middendorf, a certified divorce financial analyst with Strategic Financial Inc. in Plymouth, Minn., got into the divorce consulting business about four years ago after seeing blunders in the divorce process that led to devastating financial consequences. In many cases, women had simply taken the house and later ended up paying big penalties to withdraw cash from retirement savings.

Often, women “ended up with assets after the divorce that didn’t make sense to me. I watched women go though bankruptcies,” she says. “They wouldn’t have to if they had done some planning.”

Middendorf, who has a separate brokerage practice, received her training at the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts in Southfield, Mich. The institute, in business for 11 years, currently has 1,500 members, who typically charge between $120 and $150 an hour, and spend about 10 hours per case, according to Fadi Baradihi, the institute’s president.

More than half the institute’s divorce planners also are certified financial planners, and 20 percent are certified public accountants, Baradihi said.

Become pro-active when luggage is missing

If you’ve arrived at your travel destination only to find that your luggage has not, certain actions can make a big difference in how quickly your bag is recovered or in what kind of reimbursement you’ll receive if it’s lost.

Report the problem to your airline before you leave the airport, advises the Transportation Department’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division. Insist on filling out a missing luggage form — even if the airline officials can immediately locate your baggage or assure you it will arrive on the next flight. Describe the luggage and its contents as fully and accurately as possible. Be sure to get a copy of the form.

While at the airline desk, ask for the baggage to be delivered to you, without charge, once it is located. Most airlines will do this. If you haven’t packed a carry-on with toiletries and other immediate necessities, ask to be reimbursed for the things you’ll need within the first 24 hours. Some airlines can provide you with toothpaste, brushes, razors and other items, while other airlines will give you a cash advance.

Give the airline representative your name and contact information. Write down his or her name and the phone number to call about lost luggage. To avoid frustrating yourself and the airline, ask for when and how often to call.

For a reimbursement claim, make a full list of items that were in the baggage. Be specific as to its brand, make, model and value. Collect receipts if you still have them. Supplement your claim with statements from people who know the value of your items, such as jewelers or tailors.

Moving? Get help from employer

Moving, even locally, can be stressful and difficult. It’s even more so if you’re going cross-country.

When you relocate for your job, your employer should be able to offer some assistance. Be sure to negotiate well in advance of the move.

Consider if you’ll need the following:

“ Moving expenses: Companies may be willing to cover your relocation costs. Get estimates from movers in your area. If your company won’t pay all of your moving expenses, negotiate with your employer to pay for a specific percentage of the total. Be sure to factor in additional costs for transporting you and your family. If a time-pressured relocation means you’ll be in temporary housing for a while, ask about self-storage expenses for your possessions.

“ Housing assistance: Most companies will allow you to take one or more house-hunting trips well before your move. A few companies may help you find suitable housing or even offer temporary housing at the new location, if the move is time-pressured.

“ Spousal assistance: Many employers will tap their network of contacts and influence to help the so-called trailing spouse find work.