2026 Master Classes for Mediators

(Held Virtually using ZOOM platform)

The Many Meanings of Money

Program Syllabus 

Coming Wednesday July 22, & Thursday July 23 at 7:30 PM

Part 1.  A Brief Review & Introducing Concepts 

(Recommended for Clarification and Further Study: Please Download Claude AI and/or Perplexity AI to your cell or computer.) 

• 1.      Money as Fungible, a Store of Value:  Salt, Spices, and Gold. What are fungible current assets? How do these relate to a length of time and property settlements? 

• 2.    “Transactional” cash and electronic currencies: Bitcoin and blockchain-hybrid. Does anything stand behind these “virtual” assets?  We understand “supply” yet is “demand” and “elasticity of demand” arguably virtual?  “Should” this asset class be included in the property settlement?    

• 3.      Asset classes:  Tangible and Intangible assets. Common stock holdings and portfolios.  Risk assessment as each individual’s subjective attitude and the values discounted or increased accordingly. 

• 4.      Considering family-owned business assets and values. Market assessment, financials, window dressing, determined by each participant.  General meeting, all present.  Cacus?  Estate planning for business continuation:  Financing with life insurance. Decision-making in divorce.

•    

Part 2.  Understanding & Applying AI and the Spreadsheets:  

Stories the Spreadsheets Might Tell. 

• 5.      Understanding Form 1040, Schedules D, and C. Investment income and looking for c.f. losses.  Business income, losses, evaluating expenses, marketability, and participation/ownership.  Insights you can gather when these forms might be needed.

• 6.    Investment fees, costs to carry, negative interest rates and the inheritance. The effects of Inflation/Stagflation. Defining and where to find. Longer term outlook.  The “6 months out” perspective. Bonds and commodities.  Brief overview and significance of holdings by class.  Equitable Divisibility?

• 7.    Insurance and derivative financial assets. Beneficiaries.  What is a tranche?  What to look for in insurance & annuity contracts and derivative products. Equitable Divisibility?  When to use AI.

• 8.    Understanding the estate plan and situational trusts. Avoiding Probate.  The Personal Representative and the Trustee. Revocable & Irrevocable trusts. 

• 9.    Understanding regulated pensions under ERISA, OPM, TSP and the Military.  Client knowlege & spousal benefits.  Pension administrator and working together.  Choice of Annuity?  Mediator involvement?  Let the financial advisor help with coordinating values over various durations, adjusting for risk.

• 
  

• 10.  Understanding the two spreadsheets. A&L, and I&E.

     Applying Facilitative mediation skills and techniques to those several issues of higher asset individuals and married couples going through divorce present an interesting challenge.  This workshop intends to offer guidance, what the mediator needs to know, ask, and how to frame financial and property conflicts in order to assist high asset individuals develop a reasonable and equitable financial and/or real property settlement. Many high asset individuals residing in this tri-state region have business holdings and interests, real estate properties, bank accounts and financial interests across the USA, and for that matter, the world.    

          Class size may be limited to participants on a paid, first come first serve basis.  

     To participate, be e-mailed the reqired materials, and be sent your Certificate of Participation, please send  Barry@Financialsofdivorce.com  your e-mail and home addresses.  Payment in full via check made out to Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution, and mailed to  2 Canvasback Circle, Bridgeville, DE  19933,  must be received at least one week prior to the start of the first two-hour session.  Payment can also be made online at MCDR.org, as a Donation via credit card.  Please send an e-mail stating that you made payment online to Barry@financialsofdivorce.com

     Cost for the two sessions is Free for MCDR members, $100.00 for non-members.  Non-members will also receive with their paid registration a one-year membership in MCDR.  A certificate for 4 hours of ADR related C.E. will be issued to participants at the end of the workshop.  

     This course is intended to satisfy continuing education requirements as set forth in MD Rule 17-205, Qualifications for Court Designated Mediators, (a) (5): Complete in each calendar year four hours of continuing mediation-related education in one or more of the topics set forth in Rule 17-104, (a) (b). Please verify acceptance with your court.

     Again, please make your check out to Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution and mail to:

             Barry Weissman

             2 Canvasback Circle

             Bridgeville DE  19933

             

     Recently retired, since 2008 Barry M. Weissman CDFA™, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, has been Principal and Owner of Barry M. Weissman & Associates, d.b.a. The Financials of Divorce:  Marriage and Family Mediation.  For 30 years prior, Mr. Weissman was a fee-only financial advisor and estate planner.  Prior to that Mr. Weissman was Series 7 licensed as a registered representative, Stifel Nicolaus St. Louis, MO; his U-4 can be found on the SEC website.  Mr. Weissman did not renew his Series 7 and licensing in Life & Health Insurance in the late 1980s.  

     Cancellations: A full refund will be made with one week's notice of your need to cancel.  Please allow two weeks to receive your refund.  E-mail:                                                                                                              Barry@FinanacialsofDivorce.com

                              For more information or if you have any questions please call:  (314) 223-2661