Life after Divorce
Life after divorce: Get your finances on track
By
Gail Johnson | Insight – Tue, 25 Sep, 2012
Even in the most amiable of breakups, figuring out finances after a divorce can be headache-inducing. Whether
it's emotional bonds or financial assets, splitting ain't easy.
And the financial lives of Canadians are becoming ever-more entwined. According to a recent survey from TD
Canada Trust:
•
68 per cent of Canadians in a serious relationship have a joint bank account
•
64 per cent have a shared financial plan
•
52 per cent have a joint credit card
•
72 per cent own a home together
Nearly a quarter of divorce proceedings last longer than two years, which makes it increasingly crucial for
newly-single Canadians to regain financial stability as soon as possible after a split. "It's important for newlysingle
Canadians to stabilize their financial situation after a break-up so that they don't start taking on debt,"
says TD Canada Trust senior vice president John Tracy.
There are several steps people can take to ensure their finances are intact when their relationship isn't.
The style of breakup
Jim Doyle, senior financial consultant with Vancouver's Investors Group, says for those just about to embark on
divorce proceedings, it's important to look at various approaches: a litigious model, a collaborative approach or
a mediated process.
"How you choose to enter into that process has a significant effect on how you come out the other end," Doyle
says. "Imagine a litigious type of scenario. Your spouse and yourself end up with agreements that are typically
not entirely desired by either side, and the situation is kind of forced onto you.
"A collaborative approach, where you're able to talk through the situation and bring in divorce coaches to help
keep emotions at bay, helps keep conversation going and you can see what the results are going to look like."
Online tools such as
My Support Calculator can give a clear sense of financial obligations for alimony and
child-support payments.
Understand your position
With
joint assets and liabilities, it's vital to work out their division and be completely clear on what liabilities
you'll be responsible for. It's not just enough to break things down into "who gets what" but to look at the longterm
consequences of those divisions.
"What is often asked for may result in one party ending up financially destitute and the other enjoying financial
enhancements. Explorations of consequences of divisions are essentials," Doyle says.
Be sure that future expenses, such as the
cost of kids' education, are taken into account as well, Doyle adds.
Move forward slowly
"Recognize there are a ton of emotions, and anytime you make financial decisions when emotions are involved,
you might not be making the clearest choices," Doyle says. "Avoid unrealistic expectations."
For instance, he says it's common for those who have recently split up to want to go out and buy real estate.
Doyle suggests taking some time to rent first, even if it's just for a few months, to get a sense of exactly what
your new financial picture looks like.
"It might take a little while before you get a pattern established," he says. "Divorce is a significant change, and
you'll need to determine what your cash flow looks like with new circumstances. What are you new financial
priorities? Where is your money going?"
Write it down
To help get a
precise view of cash flow, Doyle suggests tracking expenses.
"You might have been accustomed to spending a certain way, and some expenses might come up as surprise;
maybe your partner always paid the car insurance or property taxes."
Tracking expenses also helps with establishing a budget and sticking to it. Online calculators can help with
both.
Benefits matter
It's common for spouse's to co-ordinate employee benefits, especially if one partner has wider coverage, but
when you lose your spouse you also lose those benefits. "If you had benefits through work there may be certain
periods when you can re-enroll. This is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of divorce."
Get help
If your partner was the one who
made all the financial decisions, from what types of funds to invest in to how
much money got put away every month, and now you're in charge, you might need guidance from a financial
planner, advisor or bank representative who's educated in divorce and division of assets.
"If you lost a partner who was your financial ally and now you're making decisions on your own, that can be a
daunting task. We see a lot of this with gray divorces," Doyle notes. "
Find out what your risk profile is. Focus
on
strengthening your investment knowledge. What are your goals as single person? How important is it that
you save for the short-term, intermediate and long-term? What decisions can you comfortably make?"
http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/blogs/insight/life-divorce-finances-track-
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Have a great day!
Kevin
& Faye Kitzman
Sales
Representatives
Remax
Real Estate Centre
Direct :
519-577-0603
Faye
Kitzman
Mortgage
Agent
Mortgage
Intelligence
519-588-0141
M08003930
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