Let’s state the obvious. Even when you’re in a financially stable position, divorce is incredibly stressful. Now, what happens if you want (or need) a divorce but your bank account is depressingly empty? What happens if you want to get a divorce, but you’re broke? Too often, spouses, and especially women, decide to stay in […]
How to Get Divorced If I’m Broke? Read More »
Every year, Valentine’s Day, along with its epic run-up of love-soaked commercials and ads, is dreaded by singles everywhere. But what if you are struggling in an unhappy or even abusive marriage? You may feel like a bad marriage is breaking your heart, especially as Valentine’s Day approaches…and you might be right! Bad Marriage…Bad Heart
A Bad Marriage May Literally Be Breaking Your Heart Read More »
Question My husband and I are talking about getting a divorce after six years of marriage. We don’t have any children, and he thinks we can do it ourselves. What do you think? Answer Doing your own divorce makes can make sense and save you money in certain circumstance. For example, if your divorce meets
Can You Do Your Own Divorce? Read More »
I recently heard that I may be entitled to collect Social Security benefits when I retire based on my ex-husband’s earnings. But I looked at my divorce decree and it doesn’t say anything about it. Did I miss the boat? Here’s some good news about your divorce. If you were married to your ex-spouse for
My husband and I have drawn up a list of what we own and we have tentatively agreed on how to split everything in our divorce. I’m afraid we might have missed listing something. Can you help? As a financial divorce consultant, I often review final property settlements to determine additional tax and financial considerations
Here are Six Important Assets You Can’t Afford to Overlook During Your Divorce Read More »
My nine-year marriage has been rocky for quite some time, and my husband and I periodically talk about divorce. A friend told me I should stick it out a while longer since there are benefits to being married ten years or longer. What are those benefits?
The Benefits of Being Married Ten Years Read More »
Aside from your home, it is likely that the retirement accounts you and your husband hold make up a large portion of your shared assets. Divorce accounts, like 401(k) plans, IRAs, and pension funds come with a lot of rules and regulations, which makes them a little tricky to tackle in divorce. However, retirement accounts
Are You Entitled to Some of Your Husband’s Retirement Savings In Your Divorce? Read More »
Going through a divorce is stressful, and that stress can have a serious impact on your health. The greater your stress, the worse your health becomes. The worse your health becomes, the more costs you face related to your health and the lower quality of life you experience. Dealing with health issues, expensive medical costs,
Take Care of Your Health During Divorce Read More »
Every estate is different and will require you to make unique choices when it comes to negotiating a divorce settlement with your spouse. The more complex your estate is, the trickier it can be to know what a fair division of assets is. What happens if your husband has lots of investments that may pay
During the Divorce, Should You Take the Investments…Or Cash? Read More »
A divorce is one of the most traumatic events in a person’s life, ranking right up there with the death of a loved one. A divorce is also one of the few times – and maybe the only time – a person has to deal with the court system. Ending a disintegrating marriage is made more
How To Choose A Divorce Attorney Read More »
When I was divorced, I didn’t change my name, but now I want to resume my former name and drop my ex-husband’s name. Is it too late to do this without an expensive attorney? Divorce is very unsettling, to say the least. It is difficult to think about changing one’s name when there are so
Changing Your Name After Divorce Read More »
In the past, stock options were primarily an award for a company’s top management team. In the past few decades, however, stock options and RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) have become a much more common employee incentive, and the National Center for Employee Ownership estimates that “since the late1980s, the number of people holding stock options
Can I Go After My Husband’s Stock Options and RSUs in a Divorce? Read More »
When Amber walked down the aisle eight years ago, she thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with Marcus. After their second child came along four years ago, they decided that Amber should leave her job as a product manager to take care of the children full time while Marcus continued
Are You Eligible for Alimony After Your Divorce? Read More »
Now, more than ever, you need to make sure that your finances are on the right track. You will then be able to put the past behind you and set in place the building blocks that can be the foundation for your new financial future. Review your insurance needs Typically, insurance coverage for one or
Life After Divorce: What You Need to Do Now Read More »
Going through a divorce can be an emotionally trying time, but it is also an opportunity to start fresh. Now that you are single, it is important to begin with a strong financial base. Assess your current financial situation Following a divorce, you’ll need to get a handle on your finances and assess your current
Life After Divorce: Time to Assess your Financial Situation Read More »
Investing for the future is always a game of chance, and risk-taking is part of the game plan. All investing involves some element of risk. The secret is to be a wise risk-taker and find the right balance for you between hopeful excitement and sleepless nights. While it’s natural to fear risk, it helps to
A Wise Risk Today Brings Good Fortune Tomorrow Read More »
There are three parties to every divorce: the husband, the wife, and Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam is very picky about interest deductions on home mortgages, and a misstep can cost your client a tax deduction. Here’s a common situation that can trip you up, and ways to get around it. Your client agrees to transfer
Home transfers in divorce can render mortgage interest non-deductible. Read More »
WIFE co-founders Ginita Wall and Candace Bahr appearance on KPBS San Diego to talk about divorce, finances, Second Saturday and the 25th anniversary of WIFE.org
KPBS San Diego: WIFE Co-Founders Talk About Women and Their Money Read More »
Dear Dollar Stretcher, Unfortunately, so many families are splitting that guidelines are needed for that form of family. When a family has split, what would be an equitable financial plan? How big a piece of the husband’s income pie should go to the household occupied by two growing children with their mother, and how big
Divorce and Family Finances Read More »
Excerpted from the booklet “150 Ways to Divorce Without Going Broke“ Divorce is the largest single financial transaction of most people’s lives, raising important questions that demand immediate answers. Here are some helpful tips on every aspect of divorce, including: before the divorce, gathering records, alimony, tax returns, navigating the divorce, accumulating cash, hiring an
25 Ways to Divorce Without Going Broke Read More »
UN-tying the Knot? Everything You Need to Know When Prince Charming Leaves the Building
Prince Charming Doesn’t Live Here Anymore Read More »
My husband moved out of the house six months ago. I don’t think I can afford to buy him out, and so I am considering moving into the rental condo we have, which means we’d sell our house. But my husband thinks that I should stay in the house until our son leaves for college
Should You Keep Your House After Divorce? Read More »
As a part of my divorce settlement, I am supposed to get a portion of my husband’s retirement plans. I’ll need some of the money to live on, but I’m only 53, so I’m too young to receive retirement benefits. What’s the best way to handle this retirement plan distribution? Generally, a Qualified Domestic Relations
Getting Income From Retirement Plans After Divorce Read More »
I have just been through a divorce, and I feel as though I’ve been through the wringer. I have a great therapist who is helping me through the emotional aftermath, but I don’t know where to begin to get my financial life back on track. Unfortunately, “splitting the sheets” also means splitting the assets and
Getting Your Financial Life Back On Track After Divorce Read More »
Question: My husband is a spendthrift and we are deeply in debt. Money, or rather, the lack of it, is a constant source of irritation in our marriage, and we have talked about divorce in the past. Now, due to his business problems, my husband says we may be facing bankruptcy. If I go ahead
Divorce and Bankruptcy Read More »
I know that California says that I get half of the property my husband and I have accumulated during our marriage. But what we have is mostly debts. What’s the best way to deal with them? Unfortunately, its not unusual for couples these days to have more debts than assets. The general rule is that
Dividing Debt in Divorce Read More »
My husband and I are discussing divorce, but we are both afraid that once we get involved in the legal system, it will be very costly and we will lose control of the process. Do you think that mediation would work for us? We asked Genell Greenberg, MSW, who is an experienced divorce mediator and
Divorce Mediation: An Alternative to High-Cost Litigation Read More »
How one woman created her own support group With divorce on the upswing and the original family foundation being divided, there is a growing population of single parents needing support and information on surviving the breakup of the classically acceptable family unit and the reincarnation into the new single parent lifestyle. With the advent of
Single Parent Support Read More »
In last month’s column, you learned how to interview attorneys to represent you in a divorce. Once you have set an appointment, you need prepare for that interview in order to get the most bang for your buck when you and the attorney meet. The attorney must have a basic understanding of the facts of
What To Bring to Your First Appointment Read More »
Your health is the most important asset you have, and health insurance coverage is a close second. If your health insurance is through your spouse’s employer, once the divorce is final you will need to obtain health insurance for yourself. It is very important that there is no gap in coverage, so you must deal
Maintaining Your Health Insurance After Divorce Read More »
Each year, nearly 2.8 million men and women go through the emotional and financial trauma of divorce. During divorce, many women are concerned about financial survival—and with good reason.
The Twelve Financial Pitfalls of Divorce Read More »
Here’s some good news about divorce, for a change. If your marriage lasted at least ten years, you can claim social security benefits on the entire earnings history of your ex-spouse.
What You Need to Know About Social Security After Divorce Read More »
