In our culture, money has three distinct purposes: spending, saving, and sharing. I encourage you to work with your children individually to develop their own personal goals and positive experience around money. This is particularly important when you are going through a divorce as money pressures typically are felt by all members of the family, especially children during this time.

Continue reading "Helping Children Learn about Money"

You have learned about money through your relationships starting in your childhood, then in school, and finally in your marriage.  Some people hoard money while others spend it freely.  Some are responsible about attending to daily financial management tasks, while others avoid these tasks and responsibilities as much as possible.  Some people don’t invest their money at all, others very conservatively, and still others take great financial risks.

Continue reading "Tool to Negotiate Your Divorce Fairly"

If divorce is inevitable, you begin a legal process that starts moving the day you file. There are dates set and timelines that begin so the whole process is like riding an escalator you cannot get off until it is over. When the ride does end you can either step off confidently if you have prepared, or get thrown off if you have not. I recently discussed how to win a Fair Share Divorce with Christine Chen on About the The Money, a series produced by PBS affiliate KCTS in Seattle.

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To find help preparing your financial plan and budget:

Talk with a financial planner who is experienced with divorce matters. The Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts has a website to help you find a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst in your area who is experienced with budgeting, planning and the divorce process.

Use the Fair Share Divorce Checklist to start gathering the documents and information you will need to prepare. Do this yourself so you do not have to pay your attorney to do it, and to help you build confidence and empower you to plan for a more positive future.

Find a career counselor and therapist who can help you determine your educational needs and support you emotionally during the process. A team of professionals to help guide and assist you will help you survive the divorce process and step off the escalator with confidence.