How to Get Divorced Without Losing Your Blouse: What Every Woman Needs to Know to Protect Her Future

By Patricia Stallworth

Divorce can be devastating even when it’s the best solution. It’s emotionally draining and often financially draining as well, especially if you don’t understand the process and the steps to protect your future.

I know this because I have been there. And, because I didn’t understand the process and the impact of my

• Language: English
• Publisher: PS Worth
• Release date: Mar 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9780978550202

Book preview

Praise for How to Get Divorced Without Losing Your Blouse

How to Get Divorced Without Losing Your Blouse is a comprehensive book that every woman must consult on their way through the divorce maze.

— Faydra Koenig, America's Divorce Coach

How to Get Divorced Without Losing Your Blouse is a superb guidebook for women to plan for their future when facing divorce. It provides clear, concise answers to commonly asked questions so they know what to expect and that can lead to better decisions.

—Harmon W. Caldwell, Jr., Attorney at Law, Caldwell, Propst & DeLoach, LLP

It helps your case to be an informed client! Reading this guide is the first step. It is concise, well-written and informative. It will help you formulate your questions for your lawyer.

— Emily Brenner, Esq., Brenner Law Group,LLC

Copyright © 2017 by Patricia A. Stallworth

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system – except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles or reviews – without the prior written permission of the publisher and the author.

ISBN: 978-0978550240

ISBN: 978-0978550202 (e-book)

Published by PS Worth Publishing

Bulk discounts available. For more information, contact: [e-mail]

DISCLAIMER: Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at the time of publication, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. This book is not to be considered a substitution for legal advice. It is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering legal or other professional advice or services. If such legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. No professional advice can be given to any reader without the professional’s full knowledge and analysis of the particular facts and circumstances.

HOW TO GET DIVORCED WITHOUT LOSING YOUR BLOUSE Worksheets &Checklists

Download full-sized copies to complete and share with your divorce team.

www.psworth.com/divorce

For all my mothers, sisters and daughters who must travel on the road to divorce… stay strong...this too shall pass.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

IF YOU’RE GETTING DIVORCED… YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO GET PREPARED

WHAT’S INSIDE

CHAPTER 1

OVERVIEW OF THE LEGAL PROCESS

CHAPTER 2

SEPARATION AGREEMENTS

CHAPTER 3

PROPERTY AND DEBTS

CHAPTER 4

PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT PLANS

CHAPTER 5

SOCIAL SECURITY

CHAPTER 6

ALIMONY

CHAPTER 7

CHILD CUSTODY AND SUPPORT

CHAPTER 8

INSURANCE AND TAXES

CHAPTER 9

CHOOSING AN ATTORNEY

EPILOGUE

PERSONAL DIVORCE PLANNING 101

APPENDIX A: THE WORKBOOK

APPENDIX B: GLOSSARY

APPENDIX C: RESOURCES

ABOUT MINDING YOUR MONEY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

THANK YOU!

Message to Readers

This book is interactive! To bring it to life simply scan the QR (quick response) codes with your smartphone or tablet to watch videos that were created especially for you.

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INTRODUCTION

IF YOU’RE GETTING DIVORCED… YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO GET PREPARED

Just because your past didn’t turn out like you wanted it to, doesn’t mean your future can’t be better than you ever imagined. — Unknown

Fairy tales have happy endings. The prince swoops in, rescues the princess and they live happily ever after. But divorce is not a fairy tale and there is no prince charming that’s coming to rescue you. In fact, the opposite is often true. Divorce can be devastating even when it’s the best solution. It’s emotionally draining and it’s often financially draining as well, especially if you don’t understand the process and what you can do to protect your future.

I know this because I’ve been there. I was there when my prince charming turned into my biggest adversary and said and did things I would never have imagined. And, because I didn’t know any better, I made a lot of mistakes. I didn’t understand how it all worked, what I was supposed to do, and more importantly, the impact it would have on my life for years. In short, I let the process control me instead of the other way around and as a result, I learned a lot of lessons the hard way.

The problem is, divorce messes with your mind and your emotions and it can send you on a virtual roller coaster ride. One day you’re high, feeling okay and then so low the next day that you would do almost anything just to make it stop.

Unfortunately, this is also when lots of important decisions have to be made―decisions that can affect your life for a very long time. But, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed and get caught up in everything that’s going on around you that it’s difficult to know what to do or how to respond to all of the questions that are constantly coming at you. As a result, many women (and some men too) don’t always make the best decisions regarding money and their future.

I have witnessed first-hand some of the tragedies that can occur when women are not prepared for the divorce process. Sadly, many don’t even realize that they have made poor decisions for months after their divorce when the consequences of their actions or non-actions during their divorce process become their reality.

Today, as a financial coach I help clients avoid many of the mistakes I (and others) made so they can make better decisions for their lives whether they are going through a divorce, planning for retirement or they just want to use their money to live better lives today.

I wrote How to Get Divorced Without Losing Your Blouse: 129 Things Every Woman Needs to Know to Protect Her Future because despite the fact that divorce affects nearly one-half of all marriages, it’s still surrounded by a shroud of secrecy that makes the process more difficult and scary because you just don’t know what to expect. And, I designed it to specifically fill that knowledge gap so you know what to expect and can be better prepared.

Knowledge, after all, is power and if you’re getting a divorce, whether it’s your idea or not,