The Intentional Divorce Library

Divorce comes with more financial questions than anyone expects. This is where you'll find real answers on asset division, budgeting, retirement, and the mistakes that quietly cost women the most, written by a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst who has helped clients navigate exactly what you're facing now.

No fluff, no fear tactics. Just the information you need to make clear-eyed decisions and protect the life you're building next.

Not sure where to start?

Jump to the stage that matches where you are:

Divorce After 50: Protecting Your Retirement in a Gray Divorce alimony/spousal support asset division certified divorce financial analyst divorce after 50 financial planning gray divorce life after divorce ohio divorce pension in divorce preparing for divorce retirement accounts in divorce

Divorce at any age is hard. But when you are over 50, the financial stakes are different.

You do not have 20 years to rebuild. The decisions you make about your retirement accounts, your home, your Social Security, and your settlement are decisions you will live with for the rest of your life. Th

...
Continue Reading...
Financial Self-Care During the Holidays: A Guide for Recently Divorced Individuals certified divorce financial analyst financial planning holidays

The holiday season is supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” right? But if you’re adjusting to new financial realities after a divorce, this season can feel more overwhelming than joyful. Between gifts, gatherings, travel, and all those little extras, holiday spending can easily snowb...

Continue Reading...
The Chaos and Opportunity of Divorce: How an Unexpected Divorce Can Become a Fresh Start co-parenting divorce coach divorce mediation divorce support groups preparing for divorce

by Liesel Darby, M.Ed., M.A., CC - Divorce Mediator & Certified Divorce Coach

Two Words for the Same Moment

Consider the word "chaos." The images that come to my mind all have speed in them. Something happened fast, out of the blue, and your world is suddenly upside down. Chaos is the opposite of ...

Continue Reading...
How to Keep the Winds of Change During Divorce budgeting divorce coach divorce support groups

by Liesel Darby, Mediator & Divorce Coach

What do the following have in common?

  1. You’re in the grocery store, looking for your favorite brand of stone-ground mustard, only to find that they no longer carry it.  The replacement brand is twice the price, and you don’t like the packaging either.
  2. Yo...
Continue Reading...
Your Mother Was Right—the “F-word” Isn’t Nice divorce coach divorce support groups preparing for divorce

by Liesel Darby, Mediator & Divorce Coach

Growing up, you likely heard others, at some point, say the “F- word”, and it wasn’t’ “fudge.” It was a taboo word and could possibly land you with a bar of soap in your mouth.  In this blog we will discuss a different “F-word”, and it still isn’t “fudge”, ...

Continue Reading...
From Winter of Divorce to the Spring of Renewal: Your Path to Growth divorce coach divorce support groups life after divorce

by Liesel Darby, Mediator & Divorce Coach

Divorce—a stark winter landscape where the familiar, leaf-laden trees of love and partnership are suddenly bare. But what if I told you that beneath that ice lies seeds of resilience waiting to sprout? Just as the arrival of spring heralds rebirth and new b...

Continue Reading...
How to Communicate with a Difficult Ex-Spouse co-parenting divorce coach divorce support groups kids and divorce life after divorce preparing for divorce

Written by Liesel Darby, Mediator and Divorce Coach

Going through a divorce is hard enough on its own. When your co-parent is difficult, dismissive, or deliberately provocative, it can feel like the emotional work never ends.

The good news is this: you do not have to control them. You only have to...

Continue Reading...
Why a Divorce Support Group Isn’t Enough: Find Community, Expert Guidance, and Financial Empowerment divorce coach divorce support groups life after divorce ohio divorce

If you’re searching for a divorce support group, I get it. You’re looking for people who understand what you’re going through. The sleepless nights. The financial overwhelm. The grief that hits you out of nowhere in the middle of a random Tuesday.

You’re not wrong for wanting that. In fact, reachin...

Continue Reading...
 
Financial Divorce Advisor: Understanding the Role of a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) in Navigating Your Divorce Journey certified divorce financial analyst dividing assets in a divorce divorce financial planning ohio divorce property division in divorce separate property

Going through a divorce is not just emotionally taxing, but it also brings a host of financial complexities that can have a profound impact on your future. Many individuals, while recognizing the need for legal advice during divorce, often overlook the critical role of a Certified Divorce Financial ...

Continue Reading...
Do Women Pay Alimony? Debunking Myths and Unveiling the Reality alimony/spousal support certified divorce financial analyst mediation

When it comes to divorce and spousal support, there’s a prevalent misconception that only men are obligated to pay spousal support. However, in today’s ever-evolving landscape of gender roles, both professionally and domestically, the truth is that women can also be ordered to pay alimony. This lega...

Continue Reading...
 
Intentional Divorce: Navigating the Maze of Separation with Purpose and Understanding asset division certified divorce financial analyst collaborative divorce mediation

Divorce, often regarded as a tumultuous and distressing game of choices where luck and competition dominate the stage, can be seen from a different perspective. Instead of viewing divorce as a game of chance, it can be likened to the intricate process of solving a complex puzzle. This alternative ap...

Continue Reading...
Choosing the Right Path: Comparing Collaborative Divorce and Mediation certified divorce financial analyst collaborative divorce mediation

Are you contemplating divorce and weighing the options of collaborative divorce vs mediation? Making the right choice is vital for a smoother transition. In this article, we cut through the complexities, offering a clear comparison of both methods. With just enough detail, we aim to guide you toward...

Continue Reading...