When you’re in the midst of a divorce, you have to juggle so many things. The emotional toll is hard enough to manage along with the many practical issues — including that women often fail to make a priority of …
Protecting Your Finances During a Divorce
Going through a divorce can be a very emotional and difficult situation to navigate, which can leave individuals financially vulnerable as well. If you are considering a divorce or in the process of one, it is important to focus on …
7 Key Questions to Ask Before Your Divorce is Finalized
Does your spouse have more than one pension or retirement plan from his or her current or previous job? Your spouse may be eligible for (or may already be receiving) retirement benefits from any current or previous job. Your settlement …
10 Important Questions to Ask Your Lawyer During a Divorce
Ask your lawyer… Do you have experience dividing pension plans and drafting pension orders (Qualified Domestic Relations Orders or QDROs)? Do you have the necessary information from all of my spouse’s pension plans? Do you know that different types of …
12 Mistakes Lawyers Make Preparing Pension Orders During a Divorce
1. Doesn’t ask soon enough for information about spouse’s penion and retirement benefits. Before you sign a property settlement agreement or go to court, your lawyer should obtain the plan document (set of rules) or the summary plan for each …
IRAs and Divorce: Tips for Saving Taxes and Time in Dividing IRA Funds
When a couple divorces, Individual Retirement Accounts may be divided by a regular court order or judgment. However, women should be aware of the tax consequences and potential delays involved in the transfer of IRA funds when negotiating their divorce …
Spousal Protections in Pensions and Other Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit and Money Purchase Pension Plans: Defined benefit and money purchase plans must provide two types of protections for the spouses of plan participants who have earned a legal right to a benefit. Pre-retirement: If the participant dies before …
Credit Accounts and Divorce
The type of debt you and your spouse have will determine your options for deciding who will pay it off and how. There are two types of credit accounts: individual and joint. When you and your spouse applied for credit, …
Marriage and Finances: Planning for the Unexpected
There are many benefits to being an active participant in managing the household finances when you are married. One of those benefits, while not easy to think about, is being better prepared to deal with some of life’s unexpected events. …
Social Security and Divorce: What You Need to Know
Although more and more women are in the workforce, many can receive a larger Social Security benefit based on their ex-spouse’s work record than they would on their own. The Social Security Administration will calculate each benefit for you, and …