Reconciliation and Divorce: Sometimes Love Just Needs a Coffee Break

One of the first things I tell my clients is this: Be absolutely sure your marriage is over before you go through with a divorce. I know, I know—kind of a weird thing for a divorce financial analyst to say, right? Isn't that like a hairdresser telling you not to get bangs during a breakup?

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Budgeting for Summer Fun

As the warmer months approach, the excitement for summer activities often begins to build. Whether it's planning a beach vacation, a trip to the mountains, or simply enjoying local events with friends and children, summertime brings a wealth of opportunities for leisure and adventure. However, amidst the thrill of summer fun, it's crucial to maintain financial responsibility for your peace of mind and pocketbook.  This article will explore the importance of setting a specific budget for summer activities and offer tips on how to prioritize spending while still enjoying all that the season has to offer.

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Secrets to Building a Strong and Lasting Marriage

The Foundation of a Great Marriage: Marriage is a journey filled with love, challenges, and growth. A strong and happy marriage doesn’t happen by chance—it requires dedication, understanding, and continuous effort. Whether you are newly married or have been together for decades, nurturing your relationship is key to long-term happiness. This article will explore powerful, practical secrets to help build a resilient and fulfilling marriage.

 

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The Surprising Connection Between Mindfulness and Money Management

When it comes to mastering our finances, we often focus on numbers, budgets, and spreadsheets.  However, your mental state might also play a significant role in your financial success.  This is a critical component especially when faced with a life change like divorce or navigating your finances alone for the first time after a divorce.  Let’s dive into the surprising relationship between mindfulness and money management, and how cultivating a mindful approach can empower you and create peace of mind as you navigate divorce.

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How to Find Financial Clarity While Moving Past a Painful Chapter

National Ex-Spouse Day, celebrated on April 14 each year, is a day to forgive ex-spouses for past hurts that come with divorce/break up and move on. Instead of bashing the ex, the special day is designed for people to think about the positive impacts from past relationships. The day is for good mental health and achieving personal growth. By thinking of past relationships in a good light, there is a movement of shifting past unresolved anger and finding improved mental health. For ex-couples with children this is beneficial as it fosters the idea that people can move past conflict and find a supportive and peaceful relationship.

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Level The Playing Field By Being Financially Informed

We all know the saying: if marriage is about love, then divorce is all about the money. This reality makes financial knowledge one of the most powerful tools you can have when going through a divorce. When one spouse has a stronger grasp of the couple’s finances, it creates an imbalance of power that can lead to an unfair settlement. Without a clear understanding of what you own, what you owe, and what income is coming in, you may find yourself agreeing to terms that do not serve your long-term financial well-being. However, the good news is that financial knowledge can level the playing field and put you in a stronger position to advocate for yourself.

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Co-Parenting Tips For Shared Expenses

National Co-Parenting Day is an opportunity to change the mindset on divorce and work on the relationship with your co-parent. Successful co-parenting means for both parents to work together and share responsibility of a child or children. One source of conflict for co-parents is finances.

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March Madness: The Ultimate Divorce Financial Bracket

Every March, millions of fans obsess over their brackets, hoping for the perfect picks. But what if I told you that divorce has its own version of March Madness, with financial decisions just as high stakes as a championship game? You study the teams, their stats and their history. You need to know the coaches and the players. You can’t pick random teams on a bracket and expect to win. Divorce isn’t that different. You can break it into decisions, and those decisions impact the overall success. It’s a series of choices that lead to other choices, and the opposing team may make plays that impact your outcome. Let’s look at your best and worst financial decisions and how they can impact your divorce success. By approaching your divorce financial decisions strategically, you can increase your chances of coming out ahead instead of watching your financial dreams get eliminated in the first round.

Grab your brackets and let’s break it down.

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Keys to Helping Improve Finances for Single Parents

Single parents often face unique challenges, not just raising kids, but also creating a financial path toward success. With the cost of health care, food, school, and more ever increasing, being successful on one income is a huge barrier for more than 37 million parents — or roughly 30% of households in the United States.¹

While many moms and dads report struggles with finances, there are ways to help improve your finances and be proactive with your financial future in the short- and long-term.

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How Divorce Can Impact Children’s Financial Accounts

Navigating the divorce process can be particularly challenging for families. While dividing assets is rarely easy in any scenario, determining how to divide accounts you started for your children during your marriage can raise additional questions and concerns.

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