Table of Contents
Introduction: Your Financial Companion During Divorce
| A Note on Same-Sex Marriage and This Book | |
| If You Are Feeling Overwhelmed | |
| How to Use This Book | |
Legal vs. Financial Realities of Divorce
| Lessons in Legal Reality | |
| Your Best Strategy: Think Financially—Act Legally | |
| Legal vs. Financial Stages of Divorce | |
Financial Realities No One Talks About
| In Divorce, Everything Takes Longer and Costs More | |
| When You're Connected to Another Person Financially, You're at Risk | |
| The IRS Is Watching Your Divorce | |
| Cash Is King | |
| You're Playing for Keeps | |
Emotional Divorce: Managing the "Money Crazies"
| Reduce Stress Whenever You Can | |
| Safeguard Your Sanity | |
| Watch Out for Sore Spots | |
| Be Prepared for Bad Scenes | |
| Develop a Financially Focused Mental Attitude | |
| Avoid the "All at Once" Syndrome | |
| Manage the Ebb and Flow of Emotions | |
| Don't Let Financial Tasks Overwhelm You | |
The Hardest Part: Is My Marriage Really Over?
The Separation: What Happens When One Spouse Moves Out?
| The Separation Date | |
| Questions to Ask an Attorney | |
Closing the Books: What Do We Do With Joint Property?
| Joint Account Checklist | |
| Questions to Ask an Attorney | |
Getting Help: Who Can I Turn To?
| Questions to Consider When Seeking Outside Help | |
| Selecting Professionals to Assist You | |
Financial Fact-Finding: What Must I Know and When Must I Know It?
| Advice to the Terminally Disorganized | |
| If You Think Your Spouse May Be Hiding Assets | |
| Don't Forget the "Easy-to-Forget" Assets | |
| The W-2 and the Tax Return | |
| What About the Gifts You Gave Me? | |
| Financial Facts Checklist | |
| Questions to Ask an Attorney | |
Facing the Future: What Must I Plan For?
| Major Upcoming Life Events | |
| Anticipated Financial Commitments | |
| Major Goals That Will Cost Money | |
| Where Does the Money Come From? | |
Protecting Against Risks to Life, Health, and Property
| Insurance | |
| Property and Estate Protection | |
| Questions to Ask an Attorney | |
Taxes: How Do I File and Pay?
| Get a Rough Estimate of Your Tax Bill | |
| What Status Is Better to Use When Filing Tax Returns? | |
| When in Doubt, File Separately | |
| What to Know If You File Jointly | |
| Dividing the Joint Tax Liability—Or the Refund | |
| Tax Issues Involving Temporary Alimony or Child Support | |
| Get Your Tax Agreement in Writing | |
| Questions to Ask a Tax Adviser | |
Property and Expenses: Who Owns and Who Owes What?
| Who Owns What—Marital Property and the Laws of Your State | |
| Who Knows What—Using Legal Discovery | |
| Net Worth—What Do You Own and What Do You Owe? | |
| The Difference Between Assets and Income | |
| Cash Flow—Where Does the Money Go? | |
| Questions to Ask an Attorney | |
What Will Happen to the House?
| Financial Versus Legal Realities | |
| The House—Keep It, Transfer It, or Sell It? Now or Later? | |
| Steps Toward Settling the House | |
| Questions to Ask an Attorney or Financial Adviser | |
Retirement Benefits: Who Gets What?
| Understanding Retirement Plans | |
| Qualified Domestic Relations Orders | |
| The Legal Value of Your Retirement Plans | |
| The Financial Value of Your Retirement Plans | |
| Calculating the Financial Value of Plans | |
| Additional Financial Factors Affecting Retirement Plan Divisions | |
| The Division Decision: Now or in the Future | |
Financial Investments: How Do We Divide the Portfolio Pie?
| Concepts to Consider | |
| Steps to a Settlement | |
Evaluating Employee Benefits and Stock Options
| Employee Benefits | |
| Stock Options and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans | |
| Questions to Ask an Attorney or Tax Specialist | |
How Will We Divide Debts?
| General Rules on Who's Responsible for Debt | |
| If You Live in a Community Property State | |
| Listing Your Debts | |
| Marital Debts and Bankruptcy | |
| Dividing Debts at Divorce | |
| Dividing Debts When There's Nothing to Fight Over | |
| Questions to Ask a Divorce Attorney | |
| Questions to Ask a Bankruptcy Attorney | |
Child Support and Alimony: What Might I Pay or Receive?
| Child Support—Legal, Financial, and Emotional Realities | |
| Steps to a Settlement | |
| Alimony—Legal, Financial, and Emotional Realities | |
| Steps to a Settlement | |
Negotiating and Finalizing the Best Possible Settlement
| Have You Done Your Financial Homework? | |
| Tallying Your Marital Balance Sheet | |
| How Are the Offers and Counteroffers Made? | |
| How Do You Finalize the Settlement? | |
| Divorce Ceremonies | |
After the Divorce: How Do I Get From "We" to "Me"?
| How Do I Finish the Business of Divorce? | |
| Can I—Or My Ex-Spouse—Change the Settlement? | |
| What Do I Want to Do With My Life? | |
| If You Find a New Love, Protect Your Old Assets … and Your Alimony | |
| How Can I Move Beyond the Divorce? | |
Appendix
Index
Course Details
Author: Lina Guillen, Atty
Publication/Revision Date: 1/1/2024
Course Exam Questions (online): 58 (multiple-choice)
Program Delivery Method: Self-Study
Available Formats of Course Text: Hardcopy (paperback) book sent in the mail or eBook purchased separately from the publisher
Course Level, Prerequisites, and Advance Preparation Requirements
| License | Course Level | Prerequisites | Advance Preparation Requirements |
|---|
| CFP® | Overview | None | None |
| CDFA® | Overview | None | None |
* This program is appropriate for professionals at all organizational levels.
Sponsor ID Numbers
CFP Board Sponsor I.D.: 1008 — Course I.D.: 257153
Registered with the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Differentiate between the misconceptions and the truths about divorce and finances.
- Recall the main considerations for planning a divorce.
- Recognize the emotional hazards that one can face in a divorce.
- Recall the treatment of joint property in a divorce settlement.
- Recognize the tax implications of divorce.
- Recall the laws with respect to the treatment of property, expenses, and debt in a divorce.
- Recognize the implications of divorce on retirement benefits.
- Differentiate between the roles that financial and legal professionals play as advisors in a divorce.
- Define how investments are treated in a divorce.
- Define child support and alimony and recognize how these are treated in a divorce.
- Recall the primary considerations for negotiating and finalizing a divorce settlement.
