Joke: How do you lose 220 lbs in 2023 without diet and exercise?  Divorce him! Right up there with losing some weight, getting a divorce is high on the New Years Resolution list for many. Is it [...]

I talk about financial freedom all the time. But- what does financial freedom really look like? Well- for me, it looks like this: A view of the ancient city of Toledo, Spain, spread out like a [...]

Did you know that September 16 is National Stepfamily Day? We prefer the term “Blended Families’, rather than conjuring up Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, or the wicked queen of Snow White fame. [...]

If your divorce has become final during 2020, there are some important points to be aware of, and to discuss with your CPA or tax preparer, before April 15 comes around again (or May 17th this [...]

Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel. If you are like most of us ‘woman of a certain age’, we all grew up with these Disney princesses. Rosy cheeks, beautiful smiles, a gentle [...]

Happy New Year! I want a divorce. Sound familiar? January and February can be the start of a busy time of new divorce filings. After this crazy, Covid quarantine year- even more so! Do you wonder [...]

You know, we spend a lot of time in the early part of the New Year thinking about our goals and what we want to accomplish in 2021: Take on a dream Move out of an unfulfilling relationship Lose [...]

Are you a nurturer? Are you a mom? Have you spent most of your marriage taking care of your husband and family, and perhaps putting others’ needs ahead of your own? Welcome to the club! This [...]

Do you hate to iron?   Do you even own an iron?   Well, back a generation or two, ironing was the only way to make your clothes presentable from the wash.  Wrinkle-free fabric would not be [...]

Ruth Mary Rogan Benerito was born in New Orleans in 1916 and lived to be 97. She was an American chemist and inventor known for the development of wash-and-wear cotton fabrics, as well as the [...]

Who should you thank for such amenities in your car as glove boxes, center storage consoles, retractable seat belts, lighted sunshade mirrors and child-proof door locks?  Women, of course!   [...]

So you’ve tackled your “now.”  What’s next? The next step is to start planning what the future looks like. Talk about what you each see and expect out of the next few decades. How do you want to [...]

As those of you who have visited my office know, I have several inspirational sayings and woman-themed calendars in my office.  My new “Inspiring Women” calendar has some great information which [...]

I hope you’ve enjoyed this exploration of love and money so far.  Challenging, but so rewarding! Now that you’ve opened up about money with each other, it’s time to take a closer look. If you [...]

How we manage money has a lot to do with the ‘noise in the background’- beliefs and feelings about money that we have absorbed from our families, our culture and experiences.  These attitudes can [...]

Talking about money may not be the first thing you think of as Valentine’s Day rolls around.  But consider- the primary cause of divorce isn’t what you think (although sex is a close second)- [...]

Whether you are into making New Year’s Resolutions or not, I know you have expectations for 2020. I call it, A Year of Seeing Clearly.    Especially if things aren’t working out in your marriage, [...]

I usually write this blog mostly around the question, Should I Stay or Should I Go?  Today, let’s talk about what your choices are when you’ve decided to stay. For the second time. Clients with [...]

As we get older, we tend to get wiser. Is the same true about our saving for the future? Did you know there are certain milestone birthdays – or even some birthdays between milestones – where [...]

A dear friend was just in a medical emergency situation, and needed the input of her health care proxy, her brother, to give instructions.  In this case, the decision was made to maintain her [...]

It’s time to celebrate you, Mom! Mother’s Day is a day to be treated and celebrated for all your hard work and dedication to your family. For divorced moms, the newly separated or those going [...]

Having answers to the tough questions before you begin your divorce process can pave a much smoother path through this transition. The basic information your lawyer will ask you to provide is [...]

From high profile celebrities like Madonna, Mel Gibson and Jeff Bezos, to your neighbors down the street, more people are looking at the second half of their lives and asking, “Am I better with [...]

For most of us, a house is more than just a box we sleep in and fill up with stuff. It’s our home — the place where we create and live our lives, feel safe and raise our children. Walking from [...]

It’s still the beginning of the year, and tax time is just ahead. This is when many people take stock of where they are, financially. What might you get back as a tax refund? What might you owe? [...]

The days between January 1 and tax filing day, April 15, 2019, represent a unique opportunity for retirement planning. During this time period, you can ‘true up’ your full contribution for 2018, [...]

In the world of divorce professionals, we often see January as the start of a busy time of new divorce filings. Divorced myself, I can testify why! Maybe these are true for you, too? I can still [...]

Taxes – you can’t avoid them, but you can make the annual ritual a little less, well, “taxing” with proper planning and preparation. And you may be able to reduce this year’s burden, as well [...]

Take a look around your home. Whether it’s the place where you’ve lived for most of your life and where you raised your children, or your fresh- start home, your house is an important part of [...]

I’m so pleased that there is a day set aside for recognizing women, making a statement about the blessing of Suffrage, the ability to vote and have a voice in our own governance. It took from [...]

Listen: To yourself, to your children, to your team, especially  when going through a divorce You know the old saying about having two ears and one mouth so we can listen more than we speak? [...]

Every July 4 brings big parties, skies filled with fireworks, crowds singing and Americans taking a moment to think about their freedom. For those going through a divorce, or whose divorce is in [...]

The big day comes and everyone’s beaming with pride: Your child is graduating from high school and preparing to enter college. It’s a wonderful moment worth celebrating, of course, but it could [...]

Some ways to prepare yourself to deal with the financial realities of divorce – especially in this tough economy. Often, the standard of living of both spouses drops in the first few years after [...]

If things are not going well in your relationship, and you think you might have to consider divorce, here are 7 important things to help you prepare.  Several of these are also great financial [...]

The tide has shifted in the workforce with women taking on more and more high-level career positions. Today, women are the top income earners in one-third of all marriages. This shift has [...]

This is part two of a continuing series on life after divorce. One of the incidents that led me to focus as a CDFA happened in my wealth management practice several years ago.  A woman came in to [...]

TAKING THE NEXT STEPS… When all you want to do is put the paperwork away and forget about the divorce. One of the incidents that led me to focus as a CDFA happened in my wealth management [...]

WHEN ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS PUT THE PAPERWORK AWAY AND FORGET ABOUT THE DIVORCE  One of the incidents that led me to focus as a CDFA happened in my wealth management practice several years ago.  A [...]

These days between January 1 and tax filing day, April 18, 2017, represent a unique opportunity for retirement planning. During this time period, you can ‘true up’ your full contribution for [...]

Valentine’s Day is full of expectations, on what we have created as a day devoted to romantic love.  When those expectations are not met, it can be the last straw for someone clinging to [...]

The end of one year and the beginning of another makes us think about last-minute things we need to address and good habits we want to start keeping. To that end, here are seven aspects of your [...]

The first holidays after a divorce can be particularly hard and stressful on everyone in your life. Here are five things that helped me after my divorce, and may help you, as well.  Allow [...]

You’re arrived. You have successfully navigated through the years of children-induced sleep deprivation the rigors of moving up that corporate ladder. Your middle age years are the ones that [...]

I have been asked many times about rebuilding after the unexpected has happened. Let me ask three key questions. Is there anyone at all on whom you are at least partly financially dependent? What [...]

In any major transition, there are many decisions to make.  Follow these best practices for making good decisions: Reflect on the situation.Identify pro’s and con’s or strengths and [...]

Everyone who reads this blog will know that I am a major proponent of mediation.  It’s a wonderful process for a couple to use to craft an agreement that meets their needs, in a more personal and [...]

I’ve been working with “Sheila” for a few months now – developing her divorce financial plan. She’s certainly not a-typical – there is a lot to consider. Three children, a small business, merged [...]

Marrying again makes estate planning more involved. How do you provide for everyone you love? Should you provide for everyone you love? How do you arrange to transfer wealth in a way that won’t [...]

Some of us are reluctant to talk to their kids about family wealth. Perhaps they are afraid what their heirs may do with it. It can be awkward to talk about such matters, but many parents likely [...]