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In this episode of the Divorce Rich Podcast, part of our Divorce, Decoded mini-series, we take a strategic look at collaborative divorce — a private, team-based alternative to traditional litigation. Joined by Siedah Spencer-Ardis and Alisa Peskin-Shepherd, Esq., we explore how the collaborative law process works, who it may be appropriate for, and how it compares to other divorce options.

Designed for individuals seeking informed decision-making, this conversation highlights key considerations for privacy, team support, and long-term co-parenting outcomes. Whether you’re exploring alternatives to court or simply want clarity on your options, this episode provides expert insights on Collaborative Divorce as a strong option for your case. 

• Click Here to register for a free consultation with a Collaborative Divorce Professional, https://collaborativedivorcecalifornia.com/dwrw/
• To connect with or learn more about Siedah Spencer-Ardis, click here https://focustherapyclinic.com/staff/siedah-spencer-ardis-ma-lmft-clinical-director/
• To connect with or learn more about Alisa Peskin-Shepherd and Transitions Legal, click here https://transitionslegal.com/about/alisa-peskin-shepherd/

Center for Financial Planning
Striving to Improve Lives Through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

DAWN
Divorce Attorneys for Women: Michigan's Original Divorce Attorneys for Michigan

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

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Markets keep shouting; our plan gets quieter. We bring on Angela Palacios, Partner and Chief Investment Officer at the Center for Financial Planning, to translate noisy headlines into steady, real-world steps for anyone rebuilding finances after a divorce. From interest rates and mortgages to taxes and risk, we focus on choices that protect your present and grow your future.

We start by grounding the investment outlook in fundamentals. After a volatile stretch, both stocks and bonds showed surprising resilience, reminding us that corporate earnings, consumer strength, and employment drive long-term returns more than breaking news. We unpack how potential rate cuts may filter into mortgage costs and why timing a home decision is less important than building a runway of six to twenty-four months of cash. That buffer buys peace of mind and avoids panic selling.

Next, we get practical with portfolio building blocks. Bonds offer scheduled income and lower volatility for mid-term needs, while stocks fuel long-term growth and protect purchasing power. We explain how to match money to time—now, soon, and later—so market dips don’t derail essential spending. We tackle common post-divorce questions: Should you liquidate investments to pay off the mortgage? What’s the tax impact of rebalancing after a strong year? How do you reset risk tolerance when your income and responsibilities change?

If you’re ready to feel in control of your money, follow the show, share this episode with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review telling us your top financial question post-divorce. Your feedback shapes future conversations and helps more people find the guidance they need.

• RSVP by February 18 2026: To hear Angela speak on February 25, 2026 about the 2026 Economic and  Investment Outlook in person at the Great Lakes Culinary Institute in Southfield, CLICK HERE to register https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/xt2germ/lp/bd4e0ed9-1f5c-4a7a-9d2c-0830d4f7d69a

Center for Financial Planning
Striving to Improve Lives Through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

DAWN
Divorce Attorneys for Women: Michigan's Original Divorce Attorneys for Michigan

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

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Ever felt the surge of “I just want to be done” and almost signed away your future for a little quiet? We’ve been there with countless clients, and today we walk through how to turn that burnout into smarter, calmer decisions that protect your long-term peace. We talk strategy, not slogans: how to slow down without stalling, how to see numbers instead of noise, and how to finish wisely so you’re not paying for quick relief with decades of regret.

We also unpack the house dilemma—the powerful urge to keep it at any cost. We break down the real math: maintenance, taxes, insurance, repairs, and the emotional premium we pay for “stability.” You’ll learn to compare scenarios like keeping the home, downsizing later, or setting a cash reserve, and how those choices change net worth and breathing room over time. 

If you’re ready to trade panic for a plan—quantify tradeoffs, set pre-commitment rules, and keep your energy for the parts that truly matter—this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs clarity, and leave a review to help more people find the guidance they deserve.

• Click HERE to schedule an initial complementary consult with Jacki, https://calendly.com/roessler-jacki/30min?month=2026-02
• To learn more about the difference between the marginal and effective tax rate, click HERE https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/082614/whats-difference-between-tax-rate-and-tax-bracket.asp

Center for Financial Planning
Striving to Improve Lives Through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

DAWN
Divorce Attorneys for Women: Michigan's Original Divorce Attorneys for Michigan

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Send us a text

Divorce feels like someone shuffled your entire life and told you to play the next hand perfectly. We walk you through the first moves that matter most: which documents to gather, how to build a simple but powerful budget, and how to choose an attorney whose strengths match your case and county. Family law attorney Joran Rubin joins us to share what impresses counsel in the first meeting, why three years of tax returns reveal more than you think, and how a budget becomes the backbone of support discussions and housing decisions.

We dig into messy realities too. What if there’s debt you never saw? We unpack how courts look at purpose and timing, and why a roof loan differs from a secret vacation. We talk strategy around mediation and trial prep, and why preparing like you’ll litigate often leads to faster, smarter settlements. If your finances are complex—business ownership, RSUs, nonqualified deferred comp—we explain how to vet experts who won’t learn on your dime and who can translate complexity into clear choices.

• To schedule a call with Jorin Rubin, Esq., click HERE https://rubinframpton.com/jorin-g-rubin/
• Want more of Jorin's tips and advice? Find her on TikTok at Jayattorney
• To schedule an initial call with Jacki to see if you're a good fit for her CDFA services, CLICK HERE https://calendly.com/roessler-jacki/30min?month=2024-03

Center for Financial Planning
Striving to Improve Lives Through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

DAWN
Divorce Attorneys for Women: Michigan's Original Divorce Attorneys for Michigan

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Send us a text

A classic comedy, a live panel, and the real decisions that shape life after divorce—this episode brings it all together. We announce a special screening of First Wives Club at the Michigan Theater on January 28, 2026 at 7:00 pm https://marquee-arts.org/event-page/tickets/?showingId=990348 and unpack why a female-centered story still sparks the most practical conversations about money, housing, and agency. Alongside the theater’s community mission, we explore how film can open the door to legal and financial literacy without losing the hope and humor that keep people moving forward. 

We sit down with certified divorce real estate expert Jodi Douglas to get specific about the toughest choice many face: the home. We dig into emotions versus math, the four divorces happening at once, and the first-year realities of single homeownership. Expect grounded tactics—budgeting true carrying costs, using a home warranty to buffer surprise repairs, and writing enforceable safeguards when couples keep a house jointly for a limited time. From payment verification to credit protection and repair protocols, we show how clear rules prevent avoidable damage.

• Click here to reach out to Jodi Douglas, https://www.howardhanna.com/Agent/Detail/Jodi-Douglas/67640
• Click here to purchase tickets to The First Wives' Club movie screening at the Michigan Theater on January 28, 2026 at 7:00 pm https://marquee-arts.org/event-page/tickets/?showingId=990348

Center for Financial Planning
Striving to Improve Lives Through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

DAWN
Divorce Attorneys for Women: Michigan's Original Divorce Attorneys for Michigan

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Send us a text

Think you can simply “assume” the mortgage and keep that sweet 3% rate? We pull back the curtain on what actually happens when one spouse tries to take over the home loan after divorce—and why lenders often say “maybe” on the phone but “no” in underwriting. With guest Brian Mutter, a Certified Divorce Lending Professional, we unpack how assumptions work, when they collapse under lender-specific rules, and what to do when you still need to pull equity to buy out your spouse.

Throughout, we show why involving a CDLP before your judgment is final protects you from unfinanceable settlements. Align legal decisions with lending rules, document the right income at the right time, and avoid assumptions that unravel after the ink dries. Plus, in our mailbag, we explain how to access an ex-spouse’s 401(k) using a QDRO, timelines to expect, and why a specialist is worth the fee.

If this helped clarify your housing plan, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest mortgage question—we might feature it next.

• To contact Brian at Go Forward Mortgage, email at [email protected] or call 248-956-0445
• To schedule an intro call with Jacki to see if she's a good fit for your divorce, click this link https://calendly.com/roessler-jacki/30min

Center for Financial Planning
Striving to Improve Lives Through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

DAWN
Divorce Attorneys for Women: Michigan's Original Divorce Attorneys for Michigan

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Send us a text

We explore how AI can help you prepare during divorce while also showing where it can mislead you with confident but wrong answers. We share safe workflows, a real test that went off the rails on spousal support and legal advice and a clear path for choosing the right professionals.

• defining the core risk of AI’s false certainty 
• examples of bad legal and financial outputs from AI 
• safe uses: question drafting, summaries, checklists 
• the validation rule: local attorney and CDFA review 
• interview questions for attorneys and CDFAs 
• real‑world spousal support test and lessons 
• final takeaways: AI as flashlight, not map

Center for Financial Planning
Striving to Improve Lives Through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Send us a text

When a family splits, teens often look “fine” on the surface—grades steady, activities unchanged—while carrying a storm of fear, anger, and confusion underneath. We sit down with mental health pro Sarah Kuretzky Rossington to unpack how divorce impacts identity formation, autonomy, and early relationships, and why older kids shouldn’t be left to figure it out alone.

We get practical about support that actually works. Sarah explains why narrative therapy helps teens make sense of their story without shame, how a light Internal Family Systems framework validates conflicting emotions, and why DBT skills like distress tolerance, opposite action, and interpersonal effectiveness can calm reactivity in high-conflict homes. We also break down how to choose the right therapist for adolescents and college-age kids, the value of parent coaching, and how to run joint sessions that improve communication without turning your teen into a mediator.

Social media takes center stage as we examine comparison spirals, image management, risky DMs, and algorithm-driven content that can fuel anxiety, disordered eating, and isolation. 

• Schedule a consult with Sarah at https://www.thehardcoretherapist.com/
• Listen to Sarah's advice on Divorce De-Tox; Self Care Strategies on the Divorce Rich podcast by clicking here https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/divorce-detox-self-care-strategies-from-the-hardcore/id1735150222?i=1000663280799

Center for Financial Planning
Striving to Improve Lives Through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Send us a text

Unlock crucial insights into the growing phenomenon of gray divorce with our latest episode featuring Sandy Adams from the Center for Financial Planning. We'll unravel the complexities older adults face when contemplating a late-in-life divorce. From understanding the significance of healthcare insurance and Medicare eligibility to the intricacies of timing retirement benefits, Sandy shares indispensable advice that can shape a financially secure future. We dive into the nuances of Social Security, clarifying the difference between Medicare and Social Security benefits, and discussing options for reconsidering Social Security elections under specific conditions.

In another enlightening segment, we take a closer look at equity conversion mortgages, offering a clear explanation of how loans against home equity operate. Addressing common concerns surrounding interest rates, home sales, and impacts on heirs, we aim to demystify this financial tool. We also spotlight the unique financial challenges women often encounter during gray divorce, such as higher poverty rates and the demand for long-term care. Sandy provides practical strategies to mitigate these risks, including long-term care insurance, asset leverage, and co-op living arrangements for mutual support. Tune in to discover how you can navigate the financial intricacies of gray divorce with confidence and knowledge.

RESOURCES

• CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SANDY ADAMS or email Sandy at [email protected] or call at 248-948-7900. 
• CLICK HERE to learn more about ex-spouse benefits through Social Security
• Do you want to know what your Social Security benefits may be? You can set up your own free “My Social Security Account” with Social Security, CLICK HERE to set up today.
• For general, non-proprietary information about Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) and a simplified comparison table between a HECM and Standard Mortgage, CLICK HERE

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Send us a text

Holiday plans are loud; money problems are louder. We press pause on the overwhelm and walk you through a clean, step-by-step year-end checklist designed for life after divorce. From tax withholding to FSAs, investment strategy, and credit safeguards, we focus on the handful of actions that prevent April shocks and set you up for a calmer new year. If you’re rebuilding after divorce and need a focused path to financial stability, this guide gives you practical, timely steps you can complete this week. Subscribe for more smart divorce money insights, share this with someone who needs a calm plan, and leave a review with the top fix you’re tackling today.

• To access the IRS' 2025 w-4 Calculator, Click https://apps.irs.gov/app/tax-withholding-estimator

Center for Financial Planning
Striving to Improve Lives Through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Visit us at https://www.roesslerdivorce.com/ to learn more about Jacki's practice and to find valuable resources for your case.

The Divorce Rich podcast is proudly sponsored by Center for Financial Planning: Striving to Improve Lives through Financial Planning Done Right! https://www.centerfinplan.com/