Introduction

Everyone who works with divorcing families–whether they are clinicians, educators, mediators or attorneys–recognizes the critical role that economic factors play throughout the divorce process. We have all seen the outcome of divorce cases determined by which parent (or their families of origin) could pay for the “best” attorney. We have seen non-custodial parents who were angry over what they believed to be excessive financial obligations either withdraw from their children or continue the adversarial fight for years after the divorce. We have seen the custody of children bargained away for more favorable considerations in property settlements or reduced spousal maintenance awards. And we know that two post-divorce families “cannot live as cheaply as one.”