Can I Change My Estate Plan, Before, During or After My Divorce?

Divorce is complex, emotionally draining, and expensive!  Once complete, individuals often are tired of meeting with lawyers and do not want to take on another legal “to do”.  But the reality is that accidents and deaths occur while couples are in the process of divorce.  If you do not plan appropriately you may find your soon to be ex-spouse making decisions on your behalf or they may receive more of your estate than you would like.

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Books to Read with Your Child About Separation and Divorce

Following is a partial listing of various books specifically for children who are coping with the effects of separation and divorce. Books can help children identify and deal with the loss, anger, fear, and uncertainty that they may be experiencing and can help them understand the situation on their own level. Books can also help parents speak the words and emotions that they may have a hard time expressing clearly.

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Are you Ready for the Unexpected?

Certain events in your life are happy and planned – graduations, getting that job, having a child – and others may be sudden, unexpected and disturbing – as in the case of divorce.  We call these "life's critical events" and they can happen to each and every one of us, albeit not at the same time or in the same magnitude. But the associated financial consequences can be considerable.

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Divorce – A New Financial Beginning

I am sitting across the desk from my recently divorced client, who seems a lot lighter today. At our first meeting last year, her marriage had just broken down. And on that day she expressed raw emotion and pain, coupled with exhaustion and stress. I can only imagine how difficult those early days of the separation were for her. Her daily routine was in complete disarray and she was coordinating schedules for their two daughters while going through the emotional stages of grief and loss. 

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Spousal Dishonesty – Red Flag

When I am called to work out the financials in a divorce case, often the larger reason I am there is to discover the extent of spousal dishonesty. There are often signs that were missed along the way and upon discovery of the affair or the addiction the innocent spouse will say, “Oh yeah, I did notice that……”

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Why I Decided to Focus on ADR

When I got my CDFA® credential in 2011, I thought I would be doing primarily litigation support – until I did some. 

My own divorce was a do-it-yourself divorce which turned out to be a huge mistake. I failed to put enough detail in the final documents to protect myself from my ex-husband’s ultimate bad behavior and ended up returning to court 3 times in the following 6 years.

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Important Things to Consider Prior To Announcing Your Divorce to your Spouse

Divorce is a very emotional and costly process. It can cause dramatic changes in lifestyle, destroy relationships, and leave a family emotionally devastated. Take enough time to carefully consider all aspects before you make a decision that will most certainly change your life. 

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Entering the Divorce Niche: Advice from the Experts

Divorce is a fast-paced niche in which to set up a business. Newcomers to the profession can often be overwhelmed with all the industry dos and don’ts. We asked seasoned divorce professionals from across the country and Canada what they believe newcomers to the industry should know.

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Post-Divorce Financial Pitfalls: Named Beneficiaries

Without exception, our clients want to move on with their lives as quickly as possible after they complete the financial negotiations of their divorce. Moving on includes taking control of their own finances. We regularly engage with clients to complete these items and there is one simple (to us) but infuriating (to clients) road-block that almost all face: changing or naming beneficiaries in the event of the client’s death.

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Retirement Accounts in Divorce: Five Common Questions

Retirement accounts are complicated, especially in divorce. Here are some questions you may run into.

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