Divorce Experts in New Jersey: Who You Need & When to Use Them
Getting a divorce in New Jersey can become complicated whenever significant assets, child custody disputes, or questions about income and employment are involved. In these more complex situations, input from an expert professional may be essential for reaching your goals. Financial specialists, appraisers, business valuators, custody experts, and therapists often play important roles in helping couples untangle the many layers of a divorce.
Should you involve experts in your divorce? Here’s a closer look at the types of professionals used in divorce — and how they might be helpful to you in reaching your goals.
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Building Your Divorce Team in NJ: Legal, Financial, and Emotional Experts
Divorce Expert: Financial Planner
Do you have a complex marital asset portfolio? Need help with investing and budgeting for the future? Financial planning specialists can help you understand your full financial picture and the long-term consequences of asset division, spousal support, and child support.
Tip: For financial assistance during divorce, look for a financial planner who is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), a credential that signifies the planner has training in divorce finances and asset division.
Appraiser
Whether you’re dealing with real estate, valuable jewelry, or fine art, a trained appraiser can provide accurate valuations to support equitable asset division.
Business Valuator
If one or both of you have an ownership interest in a business that is all or partially marital property, a business valuation is essential. A business is a divisible asset in a divorce. Businesses also usually produce income streams that must be considered when calculating appropriate child or spousal support. A business valuator is usually a CPA with special training and experience analyzing the assets, liabilities, and capital of companies.
Tip: Be sure that any expert you use is a specialist in the specific type of business in question. The projected future performance of a specific business will differ based on the economics of the particular industry.
Actuary
An actuary is a financial professional who uses mathematics, statistics, and financial theory to analyze the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries are best known for working in the insurance industry, but in the context of divorce, they play a key role in calculating the present-day value of future financial benefits—like pensions, annuities, or life insurance policies.
Their expertise allows them to estimate how much a future stream of income is worth today, taking into account factors like life expectancy, interest rates, and inflation. This ensures that long-term assets are fairly valued when dividing property between spouses. Actuaries typically hold specialized certifications, such as those from the Society of Actuaries (SOA) or the American Academy of Actuaries.
Vocational or Employability Expert
If one spouse is unemployed or underemployed during a divorce, a vocational expert can play a key role in determining fair alimony or child support amounts. This professional evaluates the individual’s education, work experience, skills, and local job market to assess their earning potential.
To find a qualified vocational expert, a good first step is to ask your divorce attorney for recommendations — many attorneys have established relationships with experts they trust. You can also search professional organizations like the American Board of Vocational Experts (ABVE) or the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP), which offer directories of certified professionals.
Child Custody Specialist
Especially when custody is contested, professionals with expertise in child development and family systems can play a vital role in evaluating each parent’s ability to meet a child’s emotional, psychological, and practical needs. These experts may include child custody evaluators, who are often psychologists or licensed clinical social workers with specialized training in forensic assessments. They conduct thorough investigations, which may involve interviews with the parents and children, home visits, psychological testing, and input from third parties like teachers, doctors, or therapists.
Another type of expert is a guardian ad litem (GAL), a court-appointed individual — often an attorney or trained advocate — tasked with representing the child’s best interests during the legal proceedings. These professionals focus on promoting the child’s long-term well-being.
Therapists
Divorce is a major life transition. A therapist can support adults or children in managing the emotional strain. In some mediated cases, therapists even act as divorce coaches to help spouses communicate productively during negotiations. Individual, family, or child therapists may all be used in divorce.
Mediation vs. Litigation: Your Type of Divorce Can Affect How You Use Experts
In a traditional litigated divorce, each spouse often hires their own experts. These experts may arrive at very different conclusions. If that happens, a judge must decide which opinion to accept.
In mediation or collaborative divorce, however, spouses have the option to hire joint experts — neutral professionals who serve both parties. This approach can save significant time and money, and it tends to reduce the adversarial tone of the process. A single expert can give both spouses clear, unbiased information, creating a foundation for mutual agreement.
The decision to use individual or joint experts is a strategic one, and your attorney can help you weigh the pros and cons based on your situation.
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If you’re considering divorce in New Jersey, talking to an experienced family law attorney early in the process can give you answers to all your questions, helping you avoid costly mistakes. To schedule a consultation with one of our highly skilled family law attorneys, please call us at 888-888-0919, or click the green button below.
