Collaborative divorce is becoming popular in New York because it can save couples time, money and headaches. The growth of online technology and the availability of easy to use NY child support software such as EzSupport-NY has streamlined the collaboration process and made it easier than ever. Here are a few basic tools New York attorneys should look for when offering collaborative divorce.
Information Collection – Using a web portal to gather data for the NY net worth statement allows couples to enter financial and other information from the comfort of their own homes, as well as giving a central information resource that ensures everyone is working from the same figures. EzSupport-NY includes NY AutoFill, a secure cloud-based service for data collection. Information can be imported into EzSupport-NY with a click, saving hours of the attorney’s time.
Document Collaboration – When couples can work out custody and other arrangements together, they are less likely to object to the settlement later. Free options such as Google Docs or Titan Pad allow people to work on documents simultaneously. Evernote has a low monthly cost for business users but allows more options in the kinds of files that can be edited or viewed.
File Sharing – If you don’t need realtime collaboration, you can use cloud file sharing service such as box.net, Dropbox or KeepandShare. Clients take turns examining and changing documents as needed until an agreement can be reached. If nothing else, file sharing can be used to share PDF files or other static documents with everyone concerned. Each of these services has a free option but family law attorneys will probably need to features of a premium subscription.
Conferencing – Face-to-face meetings are inconvenient and not really necessary in the modern world. Conferencing options such as Google+ Hangouts (free), Skype (low monthly fee) and GoToMeeting (higher monthly fee but includes features such as a shared screen to view documents) allow all parties to collaborate from home, work or anywhere else they can get internet access.
Gone are the days of hundreds of “reply all” emails that clutter your inbox with multiple copies of documents. Modern online tools and NY matrimonial law software such as EzSupport-NY simplify collaborative divorce and allow couples to split amicably, sparing the children the stress of an ugly separation.
