Attorney Brian Perskin featured in Reuters piece
Attorney Brian Perskin was recently consulted in new Reuters piece describing the growing role of expense and budgeting apps in the life of newly divorced couples. In the last few years, more and more divorced couples are looking to technology to help them mediate and avoid costly conflicts over expenses that are not necessarily covered in their spousal or child support agreements.
In the Reuters piece, “Expense Apps Help Divoced Parents Avoid Anger,” the writer discusses that even after a divorce settlement is finalized and spousal and/or child support has been established, it is common for financial conflicts to still occur. There are countless unforeseen expenses that can pop up and it is easy for the non-dependent party to start to feel suspicious about where the money is actually going. Conversely, dependent parties often feel like asking for extra money is an imposition or, worse, another opportunity to start an argument.
However, for an increasing number of couples, budgeting and expense applications are making it much easier to request and track money exchanges. These apps and programs include:
These apps allow simultaneous access to expense lists and calculate these exchanges in real time. That way, both parties can see what amounts are being spent and what the money is slated to be used for. Cooperative writing and storage programs like Evernote, Google Drive, and Dropbox, also allow many of the same features for simple lists kept between the couple.
Apps Provide a New Way to Mediate Conflict
When the simplest financial transactions between a couples cannot be completed, many are pushed to once again seek legal advice and incur unnecessary fees. As Attorney Perskin states in the Reuters article: “For a lawyer who charges more than $400 an hour, a six-minute phone call to deal with a missing check can run about $40.”
While these apps cannot replace the value of face-to-face discussions addressing larger financial issues, they do provide the transparency and accountability needed to avoid minor, but costly conflicts.
The team at Brian D. Perskin & Associates recommends that any divorced couple having issues with shared expenses explore some of these programs and see if one could improve their financial relationship. If you are dealing with child or spousal support issues that needs the attention of a thorough and knowledgeable New York City divorce attorney, then fill out our online case evaluation form today.