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.

Browsing by topic instead? Every category is listed in the sidebar, from QDROs and the family home to co-parenting and life after divorce.

How Are RSUs, Stock Options, and Deferred Compensation Divided in a Divorce? divorce financial planning property division in divorce

Executive compensation earned during a marriage, including restricted stock units (RSUs), stock options, and nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC), is generally marital or community property subject to division in divorce, even if it has not vested yet. How much of it counts as marital, how it g...

Continue Reading...
Can I Buy a Car While My Divorce Is Pending? budgeting debt divorce financial planning going through divorce preparing for divorce

This question comes up more than you would think, usually because a car has picked the worst possible moment to die.

The honest answer is that it depends, and the things it depends on are worth understanding before you sign anything. A car is often the largest purchase a woman makes while her divorc...

Continue Reading...
How to Protect Your Credit During Divorce: 12 Steps to Take Before, During, and After asset division debt divorce financial planning

Let me ask you something.

If your spouse stopped paying a joint credit card tomorrow, would you know about it before the late payment appeared on your credit report?

For many people, the honest answer is no.

Credit is easy to overlook during divorce. You are focused on where you will live, how asset...

Continue Reading...
The Best Podcasts About Divorce: Top Shows and Episodes for Women co-parenting divorce financial planning divorce mistakes divorce podcasts divorcing a narcissist life after divorce

Whether you are in the thick of it or just starting to find your footing on the other side, these episodes were made for you.

If you have been searching for honest, helpful guidance on divorce, the kind that does not sugarcoat the hard parts but also does not leave you drowning in them, you are in t...

Continue Reading...
The Best Divorce Blog Posts for Women Who Want to Divorce Smarter certified divorce financial analyst divorce coach divorce financial planning divorce mediation midlife divorce

If you have found yourself quietly Googling "can I afford to get divorced" at midnight, or spending your lunch break reading about what divorce actually costs, you are not alone. And you are not approaching this the wrong way.

Midlife women considering divorce are often carrying a lot: decades of sh...

Continue Reading...
Mediator vs. CDFA: Do You Need Both for Your Divorce? certified divorce financial analyst collaborative divorce divorce financial planning divorce mediation going through divorce ohio divorce mediation

A divorce mediator and a CDFA do different jobs. The mediator facilitates the conversation and helps you reach agreements, but does not analyze finances or give legal advice. A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst models the tax, cash flow, and long-term consequences of the options on the table. Coup...

Continue Reading...
Can I Afford to Get Divorced? What Women Need to Know Before Making a Decision alimony/spousal support asset division certified divorce financial analyst considering divorce divorce financial planning financial planning house in a divorce ohio divorce preparing for divorce retirement accounts in divorce

One of the most common questions I hear from women sitting across from me is some version of: "Can I actually afford to do this?"

They are not asking because they want to stay in a painful marriage. They are asking because they are terrified of the financial unknown. They have heard horror stories. ...

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...
Podcast Interviews with Leah Hadley: Divorce, Money, and Rebuilding certified divorce financial analyst divorce financial planning divorce podcasts financial abuse life after divorce podcast interviews

Over the past few years I have been a guest on dozens of podcasts, talking with attorneys, mediators, coaches, and therapists about the financial side of divorce. This page collects those conversations in one place, grouped by what each one is actually about.

Looking for shows to subscribe to ins...

Continue Reading...
Financial Abuse in Marriage: Signs, Examples, and What to Do if You’re Preparing for Divorce considering divorce divorce financial planning financial abuse hidden assets divorce

One of the things that breaks my heart is how often I hear women apologize before they tell me what has been happening with the money.

They say things like:

  • “Maybe I’m overreacting.”
  • “He’s always handled the finances.”
  • “I’m just not good with money.”
  • “I don’t even know what questions to ask.”
  • ...
Continue Reading...
How to Protect Yourself Financially When Divorcing a Narcissist asset division certified divorce financial analyst co-parenting divorce coach divorce financial planning financial abuse kids and divorce life after divorce ohio divorce preparing for divorce

If you are divorcing a narcissist, you already know that this is not a normal divorce.

Normal divorce is hard. Divorcing a narcissist is something else entirely. The manipulation, the gaslighting, the hidden assets, the refusal to settle reasonably, the way they can make you question your own memory...

Continue Reading...
Divorce After 50: Challenges and Survival Tips for a Gray Divorce alimony/spousal support certified divorce financial analyst divorce after 50 divorce coach divorce financial planning gray divorce life after divorce ohio divorce preparing for divorce

Divorce after 50 is not just a legal and financial event. It is a life earthquake.

You are dismantling a life you built over decades. Your social circle may split. Your identity as part of a couple changes overnight. The future you planned together suddenly needs to be rebuilt from scratch — on you...

Continue Reading...
1 2