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What We Do

Divorce Smart provides individuals, couples, mediators, and attorneys with financial expertise and mediation services during divorce. With advanced training in all financial aspects of divorce including pension valuation, marital vs. separate property, and tax optimization of settlements, we can help craft creative settlement solutions that make sense for both parties. We offer peaceful and affordable mediation services throughout Minnesota either online or in our office in Minnetonka. Get compassionate divorce financial planning expertise when you need it most.

Michelle Leisen

Divorce Mediation is approximately
half the cost of an average divorce.

At Divorce Smart, we know there are three components of divorce to consider:  Legal, Financial and Emotional.  We help you thoroughly address those aspects and effectively work through all of them.

The average cost of a divorce in
Minnesota is $14,200.  (Source lawyers.com)

Collaborative Divorce vs. Mediation vs. Litigation

Collaborative Divorce vs. Mediation vs. Litigation

A side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right divorce process for your situation.

Feature 🤝Collaborative Divorce ⚖️Divorce Mediation 🏛️Litigation (Court)
Court Involvement No court hearings No court hearings Court-driven process
Attorneys Involved Each spouse has their own collaboratively trained attorney No individual attorneys (neutral mediator only unless attorneys are hired) Each spouse has their own attorney
Neutral Professionals Often includes neutral financial expert (CDFA®) or child specialist !Usually just the mediator Rarely neutral; experts are adversarial
Decision-Making Control Spouses retain control Spouses retain control Judge makes final decisions
Conflict Level Low to Moderate Low High
Privacy & Confidentiality High High Low (Public Court Record)
Financial Transparency Required Encouraged Often Contested
Best for Complex Finances Yes !Sometimes Often escalates conflict
Cost Moderate Low to Moderate High
Timeline Moderate Often Fastest Often Longest
Post-Divorce Conflict Risk Low Low High
Emotional Impact Supportive, Structured Calm, Streamlined Stressful, Adversarial
Court Involvement
Collaborative No court hearings
Mediation No court hearings
Litigation Court-driven process
Attorneys Involved
Collaborative Each spouse has their own collaboratively trained attorney
Mediation No individual attorneys (neutral mediator only)
Litigation Each spouse has their own attorney
Neutral Professionals
Collaborative Includes financial expert (CDFA®) or child specialist
Mediation! Usually just the mediator
Litigation Rarely neutral; experts are adversarial
Decision-Making Control
Collaborative Spouses retain control
Mediation Spouses retain control
Litigation Judge makes final decisions
Conflict Level
CollaborativeLow to Moderate
MediationLow
LitigationHigh
Privacy & Confidentiality
CollaborativeHigh
MediationHigh
LitigationLow (Public Record)
Financial Transparency
CollaborativeRequired
MediationEncouraged
LitigationOften Contested
Best for Complex Finances
Collaborative Yes
Mediation! Sometimes
Litigation Often escalates conflict
Cost
CollaborativeModerate
MediationLow to Moderate
LitigationHigh
Timeline
CollaborativeModerate
MediationOften Fastest
LitigationOften Longest
Post-Divorce Conflict Risk
CollaborativeLow
MediationLow
LitigationHigh
Emotional Impact
CollaborativeSupportive, Structured
MediationCalm, Streamlined
LitigationStressful, Adversarial

There are three ways to work with us:

Mediation Plus

Work together with your partner utiizing a peaceful and respectful process and create a win-win solution for your family.

Financial Advocacy

Get financial expertise to remove any financial uncertainty and facilitate more productive conversations to reach a fair and equitable settlement in a shorter amount of time.

Collaborative Divorce

Work with a collaborative team of professionals in a voluntary dispute resolution process to reach a mutually acceptable settlement and resolve your issues without going to court.

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