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.
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...
A divorce mediator and a CDFA do different jobs. The mediator facilitates the conversation and helps you reach agreements, but does not analyse 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...
If you are going through a divorce in Ohio, or even just starting to think about it, I want you to know something right away: your financial future is not over. It is not ruined. And it is certainly not out of your control. What it is, honestly, is at a crossroads. And the decisions you make right n...
A certified divorce coach is a divorce coach who has completed a structured training program through a recognized certifying body, passed a competency assessment, and agreed to follow that body's code of ethics. Divorce coaching is not a licensed profession, so there is no state board deciding who m...
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...
An intentional divorce is one where you decide in advance how you want to move through the process, rather than reacting to whatever happens next. In practice it means choosing your process before conflict chooses it for you, gathering the financial facts before you negotiate, deciding which outcome...
The core difference is who is in the room. In collaborative divorce, each spouse has their own attorney and a team of professionals works together toward a settlement, with everyone signing an agreement not to litigate. In mediation, one neutral mediator facilitates and attorneys are optional. Colla...
During mediation, a CDFA builds the complete financial picture and stress-tests every proposal against it. That means analysing assets and debts, working out how retirement accounts and pensions can actually be divided, identifying the tax consequences of options that look equivalent on paper, model...
One of the most complex aspects of divorce is the division of assets, particularly when it comes to protecting your inherited money in divorce. Inheritance, often steeped in sentimental value and of significant financial worth, is a treasure worth guarding. The way forward is paved with knowledge, s...
Embarking on the path of divorce requires strategic financial planning to achieve a successful settlement. As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), I have witnessed the transformative impact that well-informed financial decisions can have during this process.
In this blog post, we will navig...
Taxes are probably the last thing you want to think about when you are in the middle of a divorce. But getting this wrong can cost you real money. And the rules are more nuanced than most people realize.
I get tax questions from clients constantly, especially around filing status. So let me walk thr...
This post is written for divorce attorneys and other professionals. If you are going through a divorce yourself, our guide to collaborative divorce and mediation is a better place to start.
When a CDFA and a divorce attorney work a case together, the client gets a settlement that is documented accu...
