In our culture, the outcome of financial negotiations between individuals or within families is rarely perceived as win-win, principally because the participants define the issues to be negotiated too narrowly. Though the focus is on “money issues”, all such negotiations include emotional factors.
My services would be valuable in any financial negotiation where
- The dollar amount was significant AND
- At least one of the parties involved acknowledges that emotional considerations are an important consideration in the outcome. If there is a need for a continuing relationship with the other party after this specific dispute is resolved, then, pretty much by definition, emotional issues are an “important consideration”.
Here is a short list of the situations in which my ability to address the emotional aspects of the financial negotiation may be useful:
- Estate Planning: This is especially critical when there is a high risk of alienating family members at the completion of a “successful” estate plan. My services can be especially valuable when there is an operating business in the estate or it is a large, complex estate with many asset classes and several beneficiaries.
- Working With an Operating Business: Disputes between the owners can destroy a successful business. I am intimately familiar with the trade-offs needed to keep the business successful while still satisfying the demands of the owners. Sometimes disputes arise between the owners themselves, especially if the business was inherited. Or the dispute may be related to the amount of cash that can be withdrawn from the business or about managerial control of its operations. The basic goal in resolving these disputes requires the business to remain successful while still addressing the owner’s grievances.
- Pre and Post Nuptial Agreements: These agreements are clearly about much more than the money issues discussed in them. As a trained and licensed therapist, I have the skill to recognize, acknowledge and negotiate the emotional issues that are inherent in any marriage and to successfully incorporate them in a nuptial agreement.
- Divorce: The failure of many marriages is an unfortunate reality in our world today. Negotiating a financial settlement is one necessary outcome of a divorce but this becomes especially complex and emotionally difficult when there are minor children involved. Maintaining a relationship that is at least cordial enough to continue their roles as effective parents is an important goal of many divorcing couples.
- Other Financial Negotiations: Any other financial disputes that require resolution of the financial issues while still preserving the human relationships.
