[thrive_headline_focus title=”Divorce and Empowerment” orientation=”left”]

Are you financially empowered? To answer this question, one must first know what it means to be financially empowered. The definition of the word empower is: to enable or to promote the self-actualization or influence of. Becoming knowledgeable about your finances can be an empowering experience, enabling you to realize a more secure financial future. Being financially empowered means making informed and effective decisions about the use and management of your money. Having the knowledge, skills and access to appropriate tools to effectively manage your finances, will help you and your family improve your long-term financial well-being.

But, if you are currently going through a divorce, your ability to make informed decisions about your financial future may be compromised, especially if you do not have a clear understanding of your finances.

One way towards empowerment during the divorce process is to seek the help of a divorce financial professional. A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™ (CDFA), can become a valuable member of the divorce team, working closely with you and your attorney or mediator, to ensure that the proposed settlement works best for you and your family based on your particular financial situation. A CDFA™ can provide you with peace of mind knowing that all the different options were analyzed with respect to maximizing the available assets and minimizing any negative financial impact.

Many couples facing divorce are filled with fear of the unknown. Most of that fear lies in not knowing what their financial life will look like after divorce. Will I end up a bag lady? Will I be living paycheck to paycheck unable to ever enjoy life again? The best way to alleviate that fear is to know ahead of time what your financial life might look like. Using sophisticated tools, a divorce financial analyst can provide you with a projection of your future financial life. Knowing what your life might be like 5, 10 or even 20 years from now, will help to bring about the clarity and insight necessary to make those important financial decisions.

Clarity can only be achieved when each spouse fully understands what their needs are, what financial resources are available to them and what their options are with respect to different settlements and future impacts. From understanding what your new monthly expenses are going to be, to seeing the impact of the proposed asset split on long-term retirement projections, to understanding your options with regards to keeping or selling the marital home, being empowered with this important information will put you in control of the decision making.

Taking control of your finances will empower you through the divorce process, making it easier to transition into post-divorce life. While the emotional issues will still be present, knowing that you did the best you could with the resources available to you, should allow for the healing to take place. No one wants to worry about money, and when children are involved, it only creates more stress and heartache. Let a divorce financial professional help you achieve financial empowerment from the beginning so that your financial needs and concerns remain the centerpiece of your divorce settlement.