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Special Needs Planning and Divorce

Join us this Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
Our guest is Steve Rhatigan, the founding member of the Archer Consulting Group. His firm specializes in financial, legal, and life-time care strategies concerning special needs planning and wealth management.

95% of his cases concerns a mother where the father has filed for divorce. The dad has had as much time as needed to get his ducks in a row, so the mom is already way behind the curve. The goal of this show is to make sure that the caregiver of the special needs child and the child’s interests are addressed by the court system. 

“Your job is to educate your lawyer and judge.  By doing this, you will help your lawyer get a better result in your family’s divorce, and you will help the families who come behind you.”  

Steve Rhatigan

Some major issues Steve sees when the divorce action begins:

  1. Not having knowledge or access to the marital finances: make copies of everything.
  2. No understanding of the difference of marital and a separate property.
  3. Failing to think long-term…Cost of Care
  4. Life insurance and retirement plans
  5. Understanding the change in the standard of life
  6. Letting emotions rule your decisions
  7. Not being realistic about costs associated with your child’s care
  8. Sharing an attorney
  9. Not understanding the relationship with your attorney and how best to maximize it.

Important Links to help you with your divorce.

Cost of Care
Tax Implications of Divorce
Divorce Checklist
Child Support  
Archer Consulting Case Study – Divorce Modification with a Special Needs Child

Steve Rhatigan – Founder of the Archer Consulting Group (Pictured Left)

Purposefully Preparing Families to Navigate the Complexities of Special Needs Planning and Dynamic Financial Modeling

Special Needs Divorce Services 

A detailed description of the child’s disabling condition with current and prospective care implications; 

Projections for the cost of care based on current needs plus analyses of multiple future options; 

An assessment of the lifestyle impact for both parties due to the unique care needs of the child; 

A review of currently available disability related benefits; a description of their eligibility requirements and an explanation of how they affect the design of the Final Decree; 

Recommendations for the need of non-standard child support payments and/or additional maintenance or property distribution payments when appropriate; and, 

Suggestions, when requested, on ancillary issues such as: 

  • Legal Custody and Guardianship; 
  • Alternate Parenting and Visitation plans; 
  • Lifetime Care Planning as part of the process; and, 
  • Adequate Risk Management to protect and guarantee the full performance of the Final Decree.