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The recent landmark decisions in the House of Lords have
illustrated the fact that life is becoming increasingly hard for rich male
divorcees. The female party to a divorce appear to be getting much more generous
financial settlements, a point not lost by many aspirant wealth management
firms.
When Michael Kerr-Dineen launched Cheviot Capital Management he explicitly
identified female divorcees as a potential source of new business, along with
sports and media stars. And Michael speaks from experience! He must be on
marriage number three (or is it four?) by
now.
But help may be on the way for male divorcees, at the least in the United
States. It may not help get a more favourable settlement. Yet at least
Hemancipation, a Chicago-based luxury lifestyle management company founded by
Akilah E. Kamaria, may mitigate some of the effects of divorce
Ms Kamaria launched Hemancipation after reading a newspaper society item
ridiculing a successful businessman whose wife had filed for divorce, causing
him to take up residence in a hotel. After reading the item, Ms Kamaria began
researching services available for men during divorce.
“I assumed resources existed, it is an obvious need,” she said.
“Hemancipation is about helping our clients to maintain their lifestyle, we
handle the complex and discrete logistics that a fast-paced, luxury lifestyle
demands.”
Divorce attorney Michael A. Haber of Kalcheim, Haber
& Kuzniar, LLP, says fathers are often hit hardest. “These gentlemen are
used to living in a family setting where they haven’t had to think about things
like pots and pans or living room furniture, and suddenly it completely
changes,” he says.
“Not only are they dealing with the stress and time commitments of their
divorce and their jobs, they are also trying to set up and establish a new home.
It’s a very difficult and emotional time. Hemancipation clients can remove one
of their big stressors. It allows them to refocus their energy and better manage
other issues.”
The firm provides customised confidential services
to men transitioning through or pre-planning divorce and offers private
concierge memberships for married or single men who need assistance balancing
their corporate, family and social lives. Clients have access to interior
designers, gifting services and a dedicated lifestyle consultant.
The new service appears to be going down well with male
clients. It has attracted sour-grapes from females.
“Yes, we have attracted some officious comments from women,” Ms Kamaria told
TheWealthNET. “But business is business!”
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