Longtime Chicago-area family law attorney Raiford Dalton Palmer’s new book, which just hit shelves and is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in the U.S. and Canada, gives insight to those contemplating or going through a divorce on how to avoid emotional warfare which leads to financial ruin.
In his first book “I Just Want This Done: How Smart Successful People Get Divorced Without Losing Their Kids, Money and Minds,” Palmer says that many people act on their emotions during a divorce and fail to do a cost-benefit analysis on their decisions.
As an example, Palmer cited an entrepreneur whose small business is growing rapidly. If they expected to make much more money next year, it would make sense to settle their divorce now — even if the terms are slightly less favorable — than let it drag into next year, when the assets to be divided would be much larger.
In “I Just Want This Done,” which is available in hardcover, paperback and in all e-book formats, Palmer advises people choose their lawyer carefully, determine their financial goals and their fears early, assess the chances of success and use alternative-dispute resolution instead of litigation. He said people should be aware of the real costs of divorce, which include attorney fees, increased spending during the divorce, the drag on their business or career and the emotional cost.
