In The News
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
Divorce planners help navigate a smooth course through troubled waters
West Suburban Press, 2005
by Christine McCurdy, Correspondent
(Excerpts)
The mere mention of the word “divorce” often unleashes a host of emotions for those who have been personally touched by this process, causing many of them to become overly defensive or emotional.
They may vividly recall their own painful marital breakups, or have a close friend or relative who is currently going through a divorce. “Divorce-talk” may even bring back old feelings they experienced as children when their own parents split, making them unwitting players in a turbulent drama not of their own choosing.
Yet as rocky as the road through divorce can be for all parties concerned, there are ways to make the journey a bit less harrowing.
(Wheaton-based business owner Connie Walsh, owner of Walsh Financial Divorce Solutions, LLC, is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst), who can help with the practical aspects of the divorce process…… The mother of two children, Walsh has more than 25 years experience in the financial industry under her belt, including time spent in the heart of New York City’s financial district. (Ten years ago she received her certification as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst from the Institute of Certified Divorce Financial Analysts.)
“I was going through my own divorce experience when I decided that this might be an area I could get into that would be a natural addition to the financial planning I do,” Walsh explained. “There are so many different aspects that come into play when you are going through the divorce process, and using a professional to guide you through the maze can be quite beneficial.”
According to Walsh, “divorcing couples need to learn about financial aspects of what will ultimately become their separate lives – such as the tax consequences their divorce will create; the relative benefits of receiving liquid funds immediately instead of (retirement assets) in the future; pension benefit disbursements; and mortgage issues, to name but a few.”
“It’s not a matter of one party getting more than the other, it’s a matter of making a client aware of their options now, and the consequences of what choosing those options will have on them many years in the future,” Walsh said. “(We) educate clients on their choices and the possible outcomes of those choices, and makes clear the settlement scenarios that are being proposed.”
“…I work with attorneys and mental health professionals, so that we may all combine our knowledge and talents to ensure the best possible outcome for the client,” she added.
Walsh, who has worked with clients from all economic backgrounds, noted that statistically, 30 percent of divorced women will be on welfare three years after their divorce. “It is important for divorcing couples to understand that they must have all of their bases covered,” she said. “And that includes legal, emotional, and financial issues.”
Starting Over, What will be “home” after a divorce?
Chicago Tribune, Sunday, April 18, 2004, Real Estate Section
Excerpt:
“When her 11-1/2-year marriage ended in divorce last year Cindy T. worried about the prospect of moving with her two children into a smaller house and, worse in her eyes, a different school district.
An at-home mom, Cindy figured there was no way to hold onto the three bedroom tri-level house in Naperville where her kids had spent most of their childhood. Shopping the neighborhood, she quickly determined she couldn’t afford to stay within the boundaries of their school district, where she and her kids felt at home.
My maternal instincts wanted me to do the right thing for my children, “she says. “I wanted to keep them as stable as possible, with the other transitions they were going through with the divorce, but I couldn’t see how I could ever afford another house.”
Divorce is a rough transition, no matter how amicable it is, and splitting up the family home is a complex process fraught with both emotional and financial costs. Because our homes mean so much to us as shelter and haven, the house can take on even more significance at a time in life when we seem especially exposed.
The solution for Cindy, it turned out, was far easier than she imagined. Keeping the house she was already in – something she had ruled out as way too expensive – wasn’t all that hard to swing with the help of Connie Walsh and a mortgage broker, referred by Ms. Walsh, who knew what kind of loans were available to make it happen.
Cindy kept the house with her kids’ circumstances. “It made me feel that I was doing what’s best for my children, keeping their lives as predictable and stable as possible,” she says. “it brought me a lot of peace of mind that I was doing my job.”
