Picture this: You just received your final divorce papers, and it is sinking in that you are free to move on to the next chapter of your life. The only problem is that it looks suspiciously like yesterday, except if you wanted to marry someone tomorrow, you could. No one comes to mind. While you are planning to drink a glass of champagne later with your bestie to celebrate, it is only 10 o’clock in the morning, and you are having feelings that are the exact opposite of celebrating.

Now you’re confused. You had thought that once you were divorced, you would feel…happy? Inspired? Free? Instead, all that you feel is fear, sadness, and loneliness. This can’t be all there is, right?

You know what your settlement numbers are, so you sit down to make a budget. Essentials are covered. Are weekly manicures considered essential? Looks like they’re not. Daily Starbucks? Maybe if you pack your lunch every day, those can stay. What about Netflix? This is not fun.

You decide to try out a dating...

Divorce often leads to changes in every aspect of your life, especially your finances. It can be particularly daunting when you have to rethink and re-plan your retirement strategy. However, planning for retirement after a divorce doesn't need to be overwhelming. With the right approach, you can turn this life-altering experience into an opportunity to create a solid, customized retirement plan that works best for your new lifestyle.

Understanding the Impact of Divorce on Retirement

Divorce often results in splitting assets, including retirement funds, which may significantly reduce the amount you had planned to live on during retirement. It can also lead to increased living expenses, as you shift from shared costs to bearing them independently. Both of these changes can profoundly affect your original retirement plan.

Moreover, divorce can have various tax implications, like potential penalties for early withdrawal from retirement accounts or changes in tax filing status. These con...

Navigating the journey to financial independence is never really a solitary endeavor. The complexities of wealth growth strategies and emotional hurdles that often come with becoming financially independent necessitate a supportive system. This support can come in various forms, including financial advisors, mentors, peer groups, and educational resources. In this post, we explore support's multifaceted and crucial role in pursuing financial independence.

Guidance and Financial Independence

In the world of financial independence, guidance is key. The financial landscape can feel like a maze of rules, strategies, and options. A financial advisor or mentor can provide invaluable advice for those striving for financial independence. This guidance can help you avoid costly mistakes and make more informed decisions about your financial future.

Accountability on the Path to Financial Independence

Discipline and consistency are integral to achieving financial independence. Sharing your fi...

As part of our Thriving After Divorce Speaker Series, our own Leah Hadley, Founder and CEO of Intentional Divorce Solutions and Intentional Wealth Partners, discussed Social Security Considerations for Divorced Women.

Social security is a very important topic, especially for women who have been divorced (whether or not you're now remarried) and are approaching retirement age. Women represent 56 percent of all Social Security beneficiaries aged 62 and older and about 66 percent of all beneficiaries aged 85 and older. 

Even though progress has been made in bridging the gender pay gap, on average, women still earn less than men and have less retirement savings. BUT on average, women are LIVING LONGER than men, so how can you maximize the money you have so you can live the way you want in your retirement?

In Leah's presentation, she discussed the value of Social Security and the ways you may increase your lifetime benefits.

The Value of Social Security

First, Social Security is one of...

Going through a divorce is one of the most difficult and stressful events in a person’s life. There are so many heightened emotions and hard decisions to be made while also managing the details of the divorce process itself. It can be easy to get caught in the cycle of dwelling on the past and feeling regret. 

As part of our Thriving After Divorce Speaker Series, Wendy Sterling, a certified divorce specialist and grief consultant, discussed how to recover after divorce to create your best life. In her presentation, Wendy talked about creating a VISION for a post-divorce life, and that’s what we’re going to focus on in this post. 

An effective way to help you create your best life after divorce is to focus on the now and the vision of the life you want going forward. I think Wendy put it best when she said:

“You are the artist of this canvas of your life.”

Creating a Vision 

Divorce can be an empowering experience where you have the opportunity to reclaim your identity and your...

We have heard from our clients that many who are going through the divorce process are struggling physically as well as emotionally. And the stress doesn’t just automatically go away after the divorce process is finalized. We talk to a lot of people with long-term physical challenges. That’s why we wanted to provide you with some information that could help you if you’re someone who is experiencing physical pain during or after a divorce.

As part of our Thriving After Divorce Speaker Series, Dr. Patricia Delzell, a board-certified musculoskeletal radiologist specializing in the integrative treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain, presented on this very important topic of how stress and anxiety can contribute to chronic pain. 

When going through a divorce, women often feel uncertain about their financial future, and this out-of-control feeling can make them feel physical pain. Psychological distress and physical pain are connected because they share the same neural processes. 

One ...

Many of our clients are feeling “sandwiched” between caring for their kids and their aging family members at the same time they are balancing working, saving for retirement, and living their own lives.  

As part of our Thriving After Divorce Speaker Series, Mary Molnar, occupational therapist and co-owner of Senior Care Authority - Greater Cleveland, presented on this very important topic of what is the sandwich generation and how we can manage it better.  

What is the sandwich generation?

The sandwich generation is defined as a group of people typically in their 40s and 50s who are raising their children (or still providing financial support - like if you have kids in college) while also caring for their aging parents or other family members. 

According to Pew Research, more than half of Americans in their 40s are “sandwiched” between their children and an aging parent and are providing physical, financial, and emotional care to both generations. 

This sandwich generation often e...

The holidays are full of emotions whether you’re single, married, newly divorced, remarried, or divorced for a while. That isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, so suffice to say that the holidays can bring up complicated emotions. As a matter of fact, it is immediately after this time when divorce filing rates spike.

Should you be contemplating divorce right now, know that you are not alone. Here are a few resources to help you weather the storm so you can thrive after divorce! In this post, I share links across all facets of my specialties, from Intentional Divorce Solutions and Intentional Wealth Partners. If you’re interested in diving further into their topic, I’d suggest browsing the blogs on those sites, as I have a ton more information, and I couldn’t link to all of it!

Increasing Your Income To Help You Thrive After Divorce

One of the first things I usually hear when I work with couples at Intentional Divorce Solutions is that one person handled the finances, leaving th...