Divorce is one of the most stressful ordeals, both emotionally and financially, that a person will experience in his or her life. Because of the complex nature of divorce, having a knowledgeable financial advisor to assist and generate realistic financial solutions can be infinitely beneficial to anyone going through the process.

Relationships formed during those trying times not only take a weight off the shoulders of the person going through a divorce but also help create enduring associations that can last for decades after the divorce is finalized. It takes effort, but financial advisors who are willing to serve clients during this time of emotional uncertainty may be pleasantly surprised at the trust that develops—trust that offers long-term benefits.

Divorcing clients are different from those who typically seek the assistance of a financial advisor. Here are some tips for dealing with them:

1. Obtain the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst accreditation.

This designation will greatly improve your authority in advising divorcing clients, especially when it is combined with other financial advisor certifications (such as the CPA, CFP and ChFC licenses). The CDFA accreditation is relatively easy to achieve; it generally takes two to six months to complete a four-module course. These units cover the way specific financial aspects of divorce apply when it comes to taxes, the valuation of property, the division of assets, the calculation of child support and spousal maintenance and the determination of future retirement and pension fund values.

The CDFA endorsement will improve your standing, and it should be included on your business cards, on your Web sites, in your bios or anywhere else that you promote your qualifications.

2. Determine your marketing focus.

In a previous article for Financial Advisor, I mentioned several roles that a financial analyst can perform when advising divorcing clients. The advisor can be an impartial ear for both parties during the mediation process, counsel one side behind the scenes or testify as an expert in court.

While you can do all three things for different clients, it is important to narrow down your marketing focus for your intended audience. Separate efforts will be necessary for marketing services to attorneys, for instance, and for marketing to divorcing clients, and you should evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing strategies for each target group.

3. Get the word out.

Fostering positive relationships with divorce attorneys is just as important as advertising to spouses. Many people going through a divorce assume that the attorney will take care of all the financial aspects, and they may never even consider hiring an advisor specifically for that purpose. So getting on the good side of attorneys can be an excellent way to gain referrals. (Lawyers are also extremely susceptible to a free lunch.)

You should always pursue creative opportunities to get your name out there, volunteering to give a presentation, for example, or a speaking engagement on financial matters. You might consider teaming up with an attorney to present during a continuing legal education program, or you can sponsor your own event for the general public. These occasions also offer great photo opportunities, so be sure to capture images and display them prominently in your office, on your Web site or anywhere else they are likely to be noticed by prospective and current clients.

You should also have a clean and professional Web site. Blogs and e-mail newsletters are a free source of publicity, and social media is an effective method to promote your services directly to the public. Pay-per-click advertising, with services like Google AdWords, offers search engine promotion that only charges when users click on your link.

4. Develop a revenue model for divorcing clients

Catering to divorcing clients may also require you to develop a new revenue structure different from the typical commission-based model many financial advisors use. Because of the financial burdens on divorcing spouses, there are generally far fewer opportunities to take commissions while the divorces are proceeding, so a fee-based system would tend to be the most practical option. After the divorce, as your relationship with the client develops, you can use a more traditional model because, again, the relationships forged under such extreme circumstances are often enduring.

5. Cultivate a divorce-friendly environment

Advisors focusing on these clients need to offer more friendly financing options to these clients, who are likely struggling with a cash-flow crisis. You can offer them, for instance, credit card options, third-party financing or, ideally, in-house financing. The last might be riskier, but you can avoid or control interest rates, and since you will already have the clients’ financial information, it should not be terribly difficult to judge their ability to pay.

Credibility is more important in financial advisors than in any other professional, and since you will likely be billing at a rate comparable with those of the clients’ attorneys, the clients will expect a Class A office space, professional attire and a trustworthy demeanor.

Financial advisors and their staff also need to be prepared to deal with the emotional challenges of divorcing clients in addition to the financial complications. It is not unusual for clients to be frantic, impatient or even rude, so the advisor and staff may need to be more accommodating than they would be with other clients. Advisors who decide to cater to this specific clientele must be prepared to meet the sometimes irrational demands of emotionally distraught clients. Making yourself available at any time to answer questions that likely could have waited, whether it’s at 6 a.m. on a Sunday or 11:30 p.m. on a Friday, helps nurture trust and distinguishes you from your peers since it demonstrates that you are willing to serve the clients in extraordinarily difficult times.

A downside of working with divorcing clients is that you are dealing with people during one of the most challenging times of their lives. You will likely have to endure some impatience and rudeness, and there might be difficulty in getting paid.

However, in return for these concessions and exertions, financial planners can expect to develop client relationships that will endure a lifetime.

Joseph E. Cordell is the Principal Partner of Cordell & Cordell, a domestic litigation firm focused on representing men in divorce. Since co-founding the firm with his wife, Yvonne, in 1990, he and his team of almost 200 attorneys spread across 101 offices in 28 states have helped tens of thousands of men going through divorce.