As a divorce lawyer, I see many potential clients who feel as though they have no idea what is happening in their own divorce. This is frustrating and can lead to a client not understanding a settlement. It is imperative that the client be involved in the decision making process whether it pertains to procedural tactics and/or settlement ideas and strategy.
In California, and unless there is an agreement to the contrary, usually temporary spousal support is based upon a support calculation performed by the DissoMaster ( Los Angeles) as is child support. The support figures are something that can be calculated or "run" in any attorneys office. If one is unhappy with the proposed numbers, or the direction a particular attorney wants to take the case, than they should certainly continue searching until they find an attorney that understands the position and can educate a party about the likelihood of success.
Determining the correct income available for support and the requirement for such an analysis for a self employed individual, usually requires hiring a forensic accountant. Because there are different arguments to be made for how cash flow and even perquisites are considered, again it is important to understand the position of your attorney, what resources they will need to represent you, strategy and how they intend to argue your case.
Vocational examinations: This is the method by which a Court determines the proper amount of income to impute or charge to an unemployed or underemployed individual unless a minimum wage imputation is sought. It is important to understand one's attorneys expectations for income for the parties and what the attorney believes is a reasonable estimate for what child and/or spousal support will be. It is better to know this prior to hiring so an informed decision can be made.