About Empowered Divorce

Empowered Divorce, LLC founder, Francisco Laguna, is an experienced mediator who routinely mediates financial and tax-related matters. He is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), a designation focusing on the tax and planning issues affecting divorcing parties.

Francisco A. Laguna, JD, CDFA

Francisco helps clients and their counsel with divorce financial settlements and separation agreements, from the tax and financial perspective. He also determines the tax consequences of any property transfers involved and helps set an appropriate level of alimony and child support.

For cases involving international parties, he facilitates the impartial valuation of foreign property and assets. Francisco also conducts financial document reviews to distinguish pre-/non-marital and marital assets, as well as to address dissipation claims.

Francisco helps couples in relationships — including same-sex partners — discuss financial issues and goals, including terms for joint property ownership and subsequent buy-outs.

Francisco is certified in the discipline of collaborative divorce: a team approach to divorce that includes attorneys, mental health professionals and financial specialists.

Contact us to set an appointment to speak or meet with Francisco for an introductory 30-Minute Consultation. Spanish language services available.

Francisco’s seminar presentations, lectures and publications include:

“Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” a comprehensive divorce seminar offered in conjunction with Lori Kolle of the Jewish Social Services Agency and Elizabeth Weisberg, Esquire of Lerch, Early & Brewer, Rockville, Maryland, March 2010, November 2009, October 2009, March 2009, November 2008

"Tax and Financial Planning for Divorce," Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Greenbelt, Maryland, June 2009

"We'd like to extend our sincere gratitude for your participation in this year's conference...Attendees were very enthusiastic about the workshops delivered...They rated your session a 4.0 (based on a 4.0 scale)."
—Linda J. Sternberg, Chief Administrative Officer, Center for ADR

“Advanced Tax Issues Related to Divorce,” Association for Conflict Resolution, Family Section Conference, Park City, July 2008

“Alternatives to Adversarial Legalism in Family Court,” New York State Political Science Association 62nd Annual Conference, Albany, New York, April 2008

The Money Club (hosts: John Palmer and Ric Edelman): “Divorce over 60,” Retirement Channel, Washington, DC, September 2006

“ Mediation and collaboration allow the couple to make decisions about their divorce. To do so, they have to communicate and be vulnerable to one another during the process. They have to compromise. It’s actually a first step to a healthier relationship, especially if the couple has children.”
— Francisco Laguna

“ I tell clients that mediation and collaborative divorce are about making decisions for themselves and being OK with those decisions — even
if they don’t represent 100%
of what they envisioned.
It’s about waking up 6 months later feeling at peace with those decisions, with yourself, with your former spouse.”
— Francisco Laguna