Avi Levy, CFLS

Dear Members of ACFLS,  If you were with us in Rancho Mirage this March, you already know: Spring Seminar 2026 was not just good, it was ex...

Comm. Gretchen Taylor Ret.

Abstract The “best interests of the child” standard has undergone systematic degradation in California family courts through institutional...

Tracy Duell‑Cazes, CFLS

Welcome to a new year with The Specialist. We are continuing to provide a cross-section of topics for each issue. I would like to thank the...

Denisa Tova-Liebman, MBA, CFP, CDFA, CQS

A settlement agreement awarded a recipient spouse $175,000 from a defined contribution plan. The document was silent on gains and losses pos...

Avi Levy, CFLS

In my first few months as ACFLS President, we have had to confront a topic that has sparked a wave of discussion among certified specialists...

Brittany Vild, CPA, CFE

Assessing self-employed income in family law cases can pose distinct challenges. Unlike salaried employees, whose income can be verified thr...

Tracy Duell‑Cazes, CFLS

DISCOVERY SANCTIONS   The California Supreme Court reversed the appellate court in City of Los Angeles v. PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP1 reg...

Sherry Peterson, CFLS

HONOR   Honor. Honor has been defined in many ways and by many people, but all include characteristics such as perseverance, respect, inte...

Mark E. Sullivan

Introduction   "The Last Waltz,” Martin Scorsese’s 1978 documentary, captured the “final performance” of 1970s stars Neil Young, Joni Mitc...

Leslie Ellen Shear, CFLS

Family Code section 3048 (the Synclair-Cannon Child Abduction Prevention Act of 2002) is the most underutilized mandatory statute in the Fam...

Tracy Duell-Cazes, CFLS

Recently I have been doing a lot of “follow up” on my cases and in my personal life. It got me thinking that there sometimes seems to be mor...

Alaina Lynch, Jillian Duggan Herd

Introduction Artificial intelligence is all around us, all the time. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) can be apparent to the naked...

Sherry Peterson, CFLS

SERVICE I have been a member of the ACFLS board for almost 10 years now. Admittedly, my original intent in joining the board was for selfi...

Tracy Duell‑Cazes, CFLS

Introduction This article is a follow up to the webinar on January 24, 2023 and discusses an overview of the preparation for and presentat...

James M. Hallett

Most ACFLS members know by now what collaborative divorce is, at least in general terms. There is, however, still some misunderstanding abou...