Divorce Financial Help

Welcome to the Divorce Financial Help Column, where the most commonly asked questions about divorce and finances get answered. 

As part of our effort to help women who are struggling with the divorce process, we've partnered with Timothy McNamara, and his partner Tracey Manzi, to bring you the Divorce Financial Help Column.     

Timothy McNamara is a certified divorce financial analyst, specializing in the financial issues that couples and individuals face when their marriage ends. Having gone through a divorce himself, he is passionate about helping people understand and manage the complicated financial issues divorcing couples often face.

Tracey Manzi is a chartered financial analyst and is an active member of the Boston Securities Analyst Society and Financial Women's Association. She is an advocate for women and holds a leadership position at the Junior League of Boston.

When your marriage ends, you have a lot of decisions to make, such as who will keep the house, how assets and debt will be split, and whether and how much support will be paid.  The decisions that you make in your divorce settlement can affect you for a long time, so you need a reliable source of information that answers your questions about divorce settlements and planning.  Many of the common questions that women ask can be found below.

Previous Questions

• How can I control the cost of divorce?
• Who gets what in a divorce?
• What can I do if he sold off our marital assets?
• Should I ask for the house in our divorce?
• Should I refinance the mortgage
• How can I insure that I'll get my equity if my husband refinances?
• What can I do if the mortgage is in my name only?
• What am I obligated to pay if I move out?
• Is my husband responsible for the bills while we are separated?
• How do you handle the capital gains tax in divorce settlements?
• If he loses his job, can the profit sharing plan be divided?
• How are retirement accounts divided in divorce?
• How do I get information about his retirement plans?
• Are his pensions considered assets or income?
• How should I invest my portion of the 401K settlement?
• The timing of divorce and Social Security benefits.
• Will I be eligible to receive 50% of his social security benefits?
• How much alimony can I expect to get?
• If I make more money, will I have to pay alimony?
• Is my college degree considered marital property?
• What should be considered in divorce and business valuations?
• Can I file a joint tax return if we're not divorced yet?
• Will I be responsible for half of his debt?
• How should we handle the unsecured debt responsibility?
• What is the best way to split the credit card debts?
• How can I get the credit card debt out of my name?
• Who is responsible for the auto loan?
• What happens if he defaults on a loan secured by our property?
• Am I liable for the equity loan if I didn't sign for it?

Please Note:  This column is not intended to take the place of professional advice, but rather to provide financial information about the various issues that arise in a divorce.  For specific recommendations concerning your situation, you should retain an experienced certified divorce financial analyst who can answer your questions based on the details of your case.  WomansDivorce.com, Timothy McNamara, and Tracey Manzi disclaim any liability from any claim arising from any information contained in this column. This column is not a substitute for professional advice.

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