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?
Every article here is written for a particular moment. Start with the stage that matches where you are, and you will find the handful of pieces that actually apply to you.
- I am considering divorce. Can I afford it, what happens to the house, what should I know before talking to an attorney.
- I am preparing for divorce. Documents, credit, insurance, retirement accounts, and choosing your professional team.
- I am going through divorce. The house, support, dividing retirement, QDROs, taxes, and evaluating a settlement.
- My divorce is final. Retitling assets, confirming the QDRO, beneficiaries, rebuilding cash flow and credit.
Browsing by topic instead? Every category is listed in the sidebar, from QDROs and the family home to co-parenting and life after divorce.
Divorce itself is an emotionally charged, troubling process. Add major financial decisions to the mix, and divorce can be a recipe for disaster. Litigants are forced to make life-altering financial decisions during a time of emotional turmoil. Anyone walking through a divorce knows this can feel l...
Let's start with the basics. When it comes to retirement accounts, there is a wide array of options available - from the popular IRAs, ROTH IRAs, and 401(K)s, to numerous other lesser-known plans. With so many choices, it can be overwhelming for individuals who are not dealing with them on a daily...
Dividing assets during a divorce is rarely straightforward—especially when it comes to retirement accounts. From pensions and 401(k)s to IRAs and Roth accounts, each type of retirement asset comes with its own set of rules, tax implications, and liquidity concerns. Add in considerations like Quali...
While often considered the kinder approach to divorce compared to traditional litigation, the benefits of mediation go far beyond those simply looking for a "nicer" approach. The best-kept secret of mediation is that it is actually the couples with more conflict who can see the greatest benefit from...
Here is something I hear constantly in first meetings.
"Can I keep the house?" "Will I lose my health insurance?" "What am I going to do financially?"
These questions keep people up at night. And almost every one of them circles back to the same issue: money. Specifically, spousal support.
Spousal supp...
I strongly believe in the benefits of choosing mediation for your divorce but it's also important to understand the challenges and prepare for those. The decisions made in mediation can significantly impact your life for years to come. With that in mind, it can be easy to become overwhelmed during t...
The anger in the room was palpable. I was sitting at a round table with a husband and wife who had chosen to use mediation as a way to come to terms on their divorce agreement. According to the wife, the husband had been unfaithful several times throughout their marriage. According to the husband, t...
Divorce can be one of the most stressful transitions in life, especially when it comes to dividing assets. In many marriages, one spouse handles the finances, including investments, while the other may not be as involved. This can make dividing investment accounts in divorce particularly overwhelmin...
If you're recently divorced and not sure what to do with your ex's retirement account, you're not alone. This is one of the most common questions I hear, and it doesn't go away just because the divorce is final. I regularly talk to people who've been divorced for over a year and still haven't moved ...
As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), I often work with couples to maximize their estate by minimizing the tax impact of their financial decisions. However, with rising higher education costs, the conversation around divorce and college financial aid has become more prevalent. More couple...
When working through the financial details of a divorce, one option that may come up is whether to take—or offer—a lump sum alimony payment instead of ongoing monthly spousal support. While it’s not always the most pressing issue in divorce negotiations, it can be an important consideration, especi
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If you have found your way to my blog, I'm guessing that your marriage did not go as planned. Let's face it, in life, there are a lot of things that don’t work out as expected. One of the most challenging examples is when you enter into a marriage with the intention of spending the rest of your life...
