How do I find a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) near me in Utah?

Where to look

Your attorney or mediator

Family law attorneys and mediators work with financial experts regularly. Ask who they have used, what kind of cases that person handled, and how their work held up in negotiation or at trial.

Confirm the credential

The CDFA® designation is awarded by the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA), and designees must meet continuing education requirements to keep it. Ask any analyst you are considering to confirm their designation is current with the IDFA.

Credentials that add depth

Many CDFA® professionals hold a second credential. Look for the one that matches your case:

• Enrolled Agent (EA) or CPA - tax analysis and tax return review
• Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) - business and professional practice valuation
• Forensic credentials such as MAFF - tracing, hidden income, and dissipation

What to check before you hire

• The designation is current - confirm it with the IDFA
• Experience with Utah law - Utah support and property division rules are state specific
• Expert witness experience - if your case may go to trial, ask whether the analyst has testified and whether their reports meet Utah expert disclosure rules
• Role clarity - a CDFA® provides financial analysis, not legal advice, and should work alongside your attorney
• Scope and fees - ask how the engagement is scoped and billed before work starts

Questions to ask on the first call

1. What cases like mine have you worked on?
2. Which documents will you need from me?
3. Will you work with my attorney, or directly with me, or both?
4. If the case goes to trial, can you testify?
5. How do you estimate fees for a case like mine?

Davis Schuler & Associates in Utah

Davis Schuler & Associates is a Utah CDFA® firm with offices in West Haven (Ogden) and Midway. The firm works with divorcing individuals and with family law attorneys and mediators across the state, on property division, support analysis, separate property tracing, business valuation, QDROs, and expert witness work.

Factors that typically matter

• Case complexity - a business, pension, stock compensation, or commingled accounts call for more specialized analysis
• Whether trial is likely - expert testimony experience matters more if the case may not settle
• Second credentials - tax, valuation, or forensic training that matches your issues
• Working relationship with your attorney - the analyst and attorney need to coordinate
• Utah experience - support and property rules differ by state

Documents commonly reviewed

• Recent tax returns - personal and any business returns, typically three years
• Bank, brokerage, and retirement statements - current and historical
• Pay stubs and benefit statements - including pension statements
• Business financial statements - if either spouse owns a business
• Any proposed settlement or temporary orders - so the analyst can see where things stand

Common mistakes and misconceptions

• Hiring on location alone - the nearest analyst may not have the skills your case needs
• Not confirming the credential - ask the analyst to confirm their CDFA® designation is current with the IDFA
• Waiting until after a settlement offer is on the table - earlier involvement gives the analyst time to request the right documents
• Expecting legal advice - a CDFA® analyzes the numbers; your attorney advises on the law
• Not asking about fees and scope up front

When a professional may be useful

A CDFA® can help when:

• The marital estate includes a business, pension, or significant investments
• One spouse handled the finances and the other needs a clear picture
• Separate property needs to be traced through commingled accounts
• Support depends on income that is hard to measure, such as self-employment income
• You need to compare settlement proposals on an after-tax, long-term basis