Finances and Divorce
What You Need to Prepare
August 14 is National Financial Awareness Day, and it’s a good time to revisit a topic we’re asked about a lot: How do I get my financial house in order if I’m planning for divorce?
First, we want to say that while finances are a common point of contention in a relationship, money should not be the only reason for ending a marriage. Getting divorced will impact each person’s financial situation and it’s important to think about, but it’s equally important to think about non-financial goals as it relates to divorce and living one’s best life possible. Those who don’t define these non-financial goals early risk feeling lost or falling into depression after the divorce. If you know someone who is considering divorce and they don’t have a clear picture of their current finances, it’s going to be harder for them to get organized for divorce. Encourage them to visit their financial planner or insurance agent with their spouse prior to telling them they want a divorce.While both spouses are often equally accountable financially, it’s common for one to have a clearer picture of the couple’s finances. Getting a lay of the land is an important place to start. Our next piece of advice would be to use that information as a jumping-off point to get a sense of what financial records are needed to get organized for the divorce.We’ve compiled a complete list of these records on our website, BrucePA.com/divorce-education/ get-organized-for-divorce. Those considering divorce can use these documents to:
•
Organize the assets and liabilities at stake in the divorce
• Review bank statements for any unusual transactions (unexplained payoffs, suspicious charges, incoming and outgoing transfers, withdrawals, and deposits) • Build their claim for non-marital property • Determine their desired financial settlement • Create both a current and a post-divorce budget While this might feel like a lot, our website provides step-by-step instructions on how to prepare financially for divorce as well as several worksheets and forms to help you organize the information you gather on your individual situation. Doing this work as part of getting organized for divorce will pay off in the long run.
Have a LAUGH
Summer Vegetable Greek Salad
Inspired by CookieAndKate.com
Ingredients For the vinaigrette: •
For the salad: •
2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 garlic clove, minced
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 1 small cucumber, seeded and chopped 1 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• • • • • •
• • • • • • • •
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Optional protein choices: 1 cup cooked chickpeas or 6 oz Genoa salami
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, garlic, oregano, honey, and salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking until well combined. 2. In a large serving bowl, toss together the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, parsley, olives, and feta (as well as the chickpeas or salami, if desired). 3. If you plan to serve all the salad at once, drizzle the dressing over the salad to lightly coat, then toss to combine. Otherwise, store the vinaigrette and salad separately, then dress each portion before serving.
561-810-0170 • 3
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs