If you are about to get divorced or in the process of doing so, there are key financial considerations you need to keep in mind. Essentially, you will need to get down to financial brass tacks. So, how do you know where to start and which financial matters to prioritize? Today, we go over the most common financial areas every divorcing woman should pay attention to and navigate carefully.
4 Financial Areas a Divorcing Women Should Focus On
Here are the four financial areas you should spend some time focusing on as you go through the divorce process:
Property and other financial assets
You will need to determine which property is considered marital and which is non-marital or acquired before marriage. It is possible that you thought your home was marital property, but it is a non-marital piece of property. Determining which property is marital helps you figure out which assets will be divided during your divorce and how to budget appropriately after the divorce had been finalized.
It is important to keep in mind that Missouri is an equitable distribution state, which means that marital property will be divided in a manner that is deemed fair to both parties but not necessarily equal.
Also, determine how much money you have in other assets such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and cash.
Your home/residence
While you have emotional ties to your marital home, it is important to remember that you should not try to keep it if you cannot afford to do so. It would be in your best interests in this case to have the home appraised and sold instead.
Retirement accounts
You may wish to bring your accountant or financial advisor into the picture to discuss these matters with your divorce lawyer. There are sometimes tax implications when it comes to transferring retirement accounts that you want to know about. Additionally, any retirement plan covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), such as a 401(k) or pension requires a court-approved division of these assets through a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). It can be time consuming and expensive to get the required approvals on a QDRO.
There is also Social Security benefits. If you have been married for 10 years or more, you are entitled to 50% of your spouse’s benefits or 100% of your own, whichever is greater.
Income
You may or may not have your own monthly income while getting divorced. If you do have your own career or business, you may feel more financially secure finalizing your divorce. If you do not and left your career to have children, you might be feeling overwhelmed. You can get help from your attorney and accountant though who can calculate how much income you will need to make to support yourself. They will also be able to help determine what spousal support award you would be entitled to receiving.
For assistance navigating your divorce, contact us online or call us at (314) 441-7793 today.
