May 9, 2000 - Wired News

Splitting Up? Get Software by Lakshmi Chaudhry 

3:00 a.m. May. 9, 2000 PDT 

Getting a divorce may be as easy as ... well, doing your taxes. 

Software is making it easier for couples to undo their marriage vows. New programs can help prepare divorce papers, estimate alimony payments, or negotiate a tax-friendly settlement. Some even claim their products may replace the divorce lawyer. 
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The Family Law Software suite of programs, for example, includes a "Financial Advisor" that estimates the impact of divorce on a person's finances. "A person can see what their condition will be after the divorce," said Family Law Software CEO Dan Caine. 

The software also serves as a reality check. 

"It forces you to think about questions you may not have considered," he said. 

Caine said divorces entail a complex range of financial issues, from Social Security benefits to college funds for children, and the tax implications of each decision that a couple makes. 

Sometimes a quick look at the bottom line can repair a fraying marital bond. 

"Divorces are usually economically devastating. People don't think the financial aspect through," Little said. "Very often, they decide that they can't afford to get divorced." 

Unlike the DesktopLawyer, the Family Law Software program does not offer legal advice and is intended to be used in conjunction with an attorney. 

Caine compares Family Law Software to his previous creation, a tax-related software. 

"It makes a certain level of (financial) advice more affordable," he said. "We're helping people make smarter decisions." 

Financial planning is becoming an important sub-niche of the divorce market, and lawyers increasingly refer their clients to an accountant or a planner. The information often proves crucial to the settlement process, Little said. 

Attorneys often welcome the development of financial software such as Family Law Software, which delivers the bad news about the costs of divorce. "They'll be more prepared for what an attorney is going to tell them," Little said. "And the more information they have, the less money they'll have to spend with the lawyer." 

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