"Being able to sit down together and discuss the situation at hand from the family’s perspective"— instead of just one spouse's -- "was a turning point from that initial panicky phone call," said Griswold.
He wasn't entirely sure it would work. "When I have seen divorce happen in younger families, custody and support issues are often the focus. For couples divorcing later in life, they are often faced with division of substantial assets, many that are illiquid -- business interests and legacy issues. Wealth can solve many of the basic necessities of life [but] it can also complicate the ending of a marriage," he mused. "The wealth accumulated represents a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice by both parties. The financial stakes are much higher."
Fortunately, in this case the arrangement did work. "At the end [it] was an appropriate solution to a difficult issue," said Griswold.