The path to your financial assessment follows a clear sequence. The aim is to understand your circumstances, identify the financial questions that need to be examined and establish the appropriate scope before you commit to the full reconstruction.

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• Intake Form:

​You begin submitting your story here 

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• Initial Review

Once your initial submission is reviewed, you may be asked to send you a second form requesting more detailed information. This allows us to develop a better understanding of your circumstances, the financial issues you want examined and the records that may be available.

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There is no charge for this initial review.

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• Suitability Review

We then assess whether your matter is within the scope of the service we provide and whether the information and records available are sufficient for us to assist.

 

Not every matter will be suitable for financial reconstruction, and we will tell you if we believe another professional or a different type of service would be more appropriate.

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Initial Consultation

Following our initial review, we offer a one-hour initial financial consultation for $130. If the consultation extends beyond the first hour, additional time is charged at $130 per hour, billed in 30-minute increments ($65 per 30 minutes).

This consultation gives you an opportunity to explain your circumstances, discuss our initial observations and understand what may be involved in examining your financial records.

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The consultation may cover:

• Initial Observations: Discussion of what we have identified from the information provided.

• Financial Focus: Identifying the financial questions and areas that may need closer examination.

• Records and Organisation: Guidance on what records may be relevant and how they can be organised.

• Timeframe: Discussing the period that may be relevant to the financial questions being considered.

• Next Steps: Explaining what a full financial reconstruction would involve and whether it appears appropriate for your circumstances.

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Fees and Engagement

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Following the interview, we provide an obligation-free fee estimate based on the agreed scope.

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The estimate is shaped by factors including:

• The timeframe under review: For example, six months compared with two years.

• The volume and complexity of the financial records: Including the number of bank accounts, credit cards, business records and the complexity and volume of transactions.

• The depth of reconstruction required: The level of analysis needed to address the financial questions identified.

• System establishment: A fee may apply for establishing and hosting your private, secure digital environment. Further information is provided under The Reconstruction Process.

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We understand that certainty around cost matters. Ideally, every matter could be offered at a set fee, but financial reconstructions are not one-size-fits-all. The scope, volume and complexity of the records can vary significantly from one matter to another, so our fees need to reflect the work actually required.

Once you are satisfied with the scope and fee estimate, we will provide an engagement letter. Work commences once the engagement letter has been signed and the required deposit has been received.

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Integrity

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There is one rule we will not compromise on: the records provided to us must belong to the person requesting the assessment.

You cannot simply provide us with someone else's private financial records because you have been able to obtain them.

We do not accept another person's private bank statements, financial accounts or other financial records simply because the person requesting the assessment has been able to obtain them.

We do not assist in obtaining, accessing or circumventing access to another person's private financial information.

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If it isn't yours to provide, it doesn't come to us.  

 

This protects you, protects us, and protects the integrity of the reconstruction.

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Payment plans are available

For clients experiencing financial difficulty and are structured by agreement before work commences.

The final documentation is released upon payment in full.

We believe this service should be accessible to the people who need it most while allowing us to continue providing the time and level of analysis each matter requires.

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Methodology and Scope

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Once the scope has been agreed, we move to the record-level analysis.

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The Reconstruction Process

Financial records are generally analysed and reconstructed using Excel.

 

Where the volume of data is particularly large or complex, a dedicated, secure cloud-based environment may be used to manage and analyse the records.

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For larger data files and more complex matters, this environment is a subscription-based service, typically costing $35 per month. Where this cost is passed on to you, the terms will be clearly set out and agreed in your Letter of Engagement.

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The approach used will depend on the volume and complexity of the records involved and will be discussed with you as part of establishing the scope of your matter.

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Scope and Timeline

The timeframe examined is determined by the circumstances of your matter and the financial questions you want addressed. Where you have legal representation, the scope may also be informed by your legal team.

There is no standard timeframe that applies to every matter.

 

The assessment may include:

• Pre-separation data: To establish the financial baseline and identify changes in financial patterns during the relevant period.

• The period around separation: To examine financial activity and changes occurring as the relationship came to an end.

• Post-separation data: Where relevant, to examine changes in access to funds, movement of money or changes in financial circumstances following separation.

• A longer timeframe: Where the circumstances or financial records indicate that earlier or additional information may be relevant.

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The agreed timeframe and scope will be confirmed before the reconstruction commences.

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💡 Pro Note: Providing your records in Excel or CSV format can significantly reduce the cost of reconstruction compared with PDF records. Digital data reduces the manual work required to extract and organise transactions, which can directly reduce the time and cost involved.

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👉 Note: Keep in mind that the longer you wait, the harder it can become to obtain historical financial records due to account closures, changes in access and financial institution retention policies. Securing relevant records early can help preserve the information needed for your assessment.