Financially Ever After Widowhood

Latest Episodes:

Generating Income while Balancing Family Responsibilities Mar 22, 2022

Show notes

Tiffani Higgins is owner and CPA at Stay at Home Bookkeeper Academy, where she proves you can succeed being a stay-at-home parent and generate income to live your life to the fullest, without sacrificing family time. She is also the owner of Missouri Cannabis CPA, a firm specializing in government regulations for companies in the cannabis industry. Tiffani teaches listeners what their options are for elevating their career while being a stay-at-home parent. She shares the biggest business mistakes that hold back women from being successful, and the tools they need to overcome them. She also gives tips for starting your own business.

One of the biggest challenges for listeners is juggling their desire for a career to provide for their family after a divorce, with the demands of corporate America, and their domestic responsibilities.
Stay at Home Bookkeeper Academy essentially helps clients launch their own businesses. They assist with all aspects of business ownership, including how to market yourself in ways that are comfortable.
Being an entrepreneur, consultant, or any type of worker that operates freelance, part-time or on contract falls under the ‘gig economy,’ which has seen astounding growth in recent times. As of 2021, roughly 1 in 10 people use online platforms for the gig economy.
The great thing about having a bookkeeping business is that you can make it a side gig, or you can scale it up to your heart’s desire. This allows parents more flexibility for their working hours.

Resources

Tiffani Higgins on LinkedIn | Have Your Cake and Eat It Too | Facebook

TiffaniHiggins.com

The Stay At Home Bookkeeper

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

Regulating Your Emotions Around Money Mar 08, 2022

Show notes

Nathan Astle is founder of Relational Money, an organization that specializes in helping people deal with issues related to their emotional difficulties with money, as well as helping couples experiencing financial conflict. He is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, as well as a Certified Financial Therapist. Nathan is a member of the board of directors of the Financial Therapy Association, and has been featured on CNBC and USA Today. He explains the role of a Certified Financial Therapist, and educates listeners on how to regain power over their lives after a financially abusive relationship. He also shares a resource to help listeners regulate their emotions, particularly around money.

Money has different meanings for different people: it can be a necessary evil that enables them to live the life they want, a representation of security and safety, and a way to assert dominance and influence over a person.
The way you were raised has a significant impact on the way you experience money. How your parents treated wealth and wealthy people, the explicit messages you were taught about money, and what went unsaid, all played a part in shaping your perception of money.
Emotional regulation becomes a challenge when people are going through traumatic experiences, because they often respond to situations in ways that best guarantee their survival.
Focusing on your senses can help you control your emotions. When you feel yourself slipping, pay attention to the texture of something near you; it’s a helpful tool for recentering yourself in the moment.

Resources

Nathan Astle on LinkedIn

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

Overcoming Financial Infidelity Feb 22, 2022

Show notes

T.H. Irwin and Jessica Klingbaum were divorced at the same time and had only each other to rely on for support. Now, through exEXPERTS, they help other women at every stage in the divorce journey, whether they are only just considering it, and even after. They use their experience to teach women everything they wished they knew, and provide them with the assistance they need. T.H. and Jessica share insights about their community, and the important role money played in their divorces.

After her divorce, T.H. ensured that her expenses could be covered by child support to create a financial cushion. In the case of any emergency or unexpected circumstance, she would then have the finances to take care of it.
It is imperative that women develop financial skills to support themselves after divorce, because they typically cannot rebound as quickly as their ex-husbands can; especially if their ex-husbands were the primary breadwinners.
Jessica needed to hire a forensic accountant to discover the money her husband was hiding. Many women are often victims of financial infidelity in their marriage, which occurs when their partners hide information about their finances.
Self-love is all about moving forward. If you feel stuck you need to look within yourself for a way to help yourself; the power to change your circumstances lies in your decisions.

Resources

T.H. Irwin on LinkedIn

Jessica Klingbaum on LinkedIn

exEXPERTS.com

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

Everything You Should Know About High Net Worth Divorce Feb 08, 2022

Show notes

Lisa Zeiderman is Managing Partner at Miller Zeiderman LLP, and an official member of Forbes Business Council. She specializes in complex financial and custody divorce matters for high-net-worth individuals. In 2020, Lisa was named a 10 Best Family Law Attorney for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys. She is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, a Certified Financial Litigator, and teaches other matrimonial attorneys how to deal with complex assets in divorce. In this episode, she talks with Stacy Francis to give listeners a crash course about high net worth divorce.

Before high net worth individuals start the divorce process, they must understand whether their income is coming into their household from employment or investments. Then, their monthly burn rate must be taken into account.
A forensic accountant is sometimes brought in to appraise a business, if a party of a high net worth divorce is a business owner. They will examine the books, general ledgers, and expenses; they may also conduct income stream analysis.
When looking for a matrimonial attorney for your high net worth divorce, you should ensure that the person you’re consulting with is going to be part of your case to minimize legal fees.
Going into a high net worth divorce is like going for a heart surgery: you don’t have to know how to do the surgery, but you have to know a great heart surgeon. Ideally, your team should consist of a great matrimonial attorney and a great Certified Divorce Financial Analyst.

Resources

Lisa Zeiderman on LinkedIn

Email: lz@mzw-law.com

LisaZeiderman.com

SavvyLadies.org

Contemplating Divorce During Bonus, Equity Award Season

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

Cross-Post from Divorce Etc: Protecting Your Assets Jan 25, 2022

Show notes

In this crossover episode, you'll get to hear Stacy Francis when joined the hosts at DIVORCE etc… to talk about the best ways to protect your wealth during divorce, how to decide who gets what, and what your biggest asset actually is.

The biggest asset you have is your earning capability, which is even larger than the value of your home. Whether or not you have wealth to inherit does not impede your ability to earn ongoing income. Additionally, it’s the asset that women have most control over.
Some things you can do to protect your nest egg are: ensure you have car insurance in your name, the right homeowner’s insurance, and insurance for your engagement ring if you decide to keep it. You can also sell your engagement ring and invest it, since the money it was bought with was premarital.
It’s very rare that we have good financial surprises. An emergency fund is a powerful tool all women should have; it protects your overall financial stability because there will always be things you don’t plan for.
Similar to a candle, you should never leave a credit card unmonitored. During a divorce, ensure that the credit card you use is in your name, and that you pay it off at the end of the month.

Resources

DIVORCE etc…

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

Navigating the Demands of Life and Starting 2022 in Balance Jan 11, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Randy Heller is a marriage and family therapist, collaborative mental health professional, and Adjunct Professor at Nova Southeastern University. She founded The Family Network, Inc., a comprehensive counseling center providing individual, couple, family, and group services to children, adolescents, and adults. In this episode, she talks with Stacy Francis about navigating the demands of life and starting the new year in balance and shares an action plan to make 2022 your best year.

Thanksgiving to Christmas is typically a period of fear and uncertainty for families going through divorce. Many women experience fear of the unknown; they wonder if they will be alone forever and whether they can manage being on their own.
You need to give yourself permission to be the best you can, rather than being perfect. If you allow yourself a day or two where you don’t hold yourself to the ideal you, you can take that time to rest and recharge so you can resume meeting your personal expectations.
When you find yourself in massive internal chaos, stop for a moment to just breathe. If you can breathe easily, then you can think about your next step. Like yoga, if you’re not focused on what you’re doing at the moment, you’re going to fall.
Worrying about all the ‘shoulds’ will only prevent you from actually doing things. Instead, pay attention to the things you can manage today, and celebrate those accomplishments. The rest can be done tomorrow.

Resources

Dr. Randy Heller on LinkedIn

FamilyNetworkFlorida.com

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

My Partner Has Compulsive Gambling: Signs, Symptoms, and How to Protect Your Finances Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

Karen’s former husband had been struggling with a gambling addiction for over 20 years. Lynn’s ex-husband’s gambling addiction pervaded the last seven years of their almost 20-year long marriage. Karen and Lynn share their stories of being married to people who developed gambling addictions, how that upended their finances and sense of self, and how they found help. They share insights about compulsive gambling and how to recognize it, what resources are available for assistance, and how to protect yourself and your family.

According to national studies, as many as 10 million Americans struggle with compulsive gambling. Even more disturbing is the fact that older adults aren’t the only ones; in fact, one in 20 college students meet the criteria for compulsive gambling, which is double the rate of the overall adult population.
Being divisive about shared resources actually helps partners of gambling addicts to financially isolate themselves from their partners’ gambling debts.
Love and trust are two different things; you can love your partner and still not trust them with your finances. People often shy away from taking steps to protect themselves because they believe a lack of trust shows a lack of love.
Symptoms of compulsive gambling include lying, manipulation, blaming, rationalization, and fantasizing. You cannot have a rational marital conversation about money with a compulsive gambler because they only care about getting money for the next bet.

Resources

GAM-ANON.ORG (international self-help group for friends and family members of compulsive gamblers. Lists of meetings, literature, etc.)

GAMBLERSANONYMOUS.ORG (international self-help group for compulsive gamblers. Lists of meetings and information are at this website)

GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS HOTLINE FOR New York: 855-2CALLGA (855-222-5542)

The National Council on Problem Gambling HELPLINE 800-522-4700

Our local hotline for our Gam-Anon group 716-800-1426

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

Settling Real Estate Disputes during Your Divorce Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

Ian Steinberg is an Associate Attorney at Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein, LLP, where he focuses on the litigation, negotiation, and settlement of matrimonial and family law cases. Prior to his current role, he worked at a real estate firm representing building owners and courts throughout New York City. He shares important information on the division of equity in the marital home in divorce, what happens if there's separate property, and the issues that arise when one spouse buys out the other.

Real estate is usually someone’s biggest asset, and it becomes a challenge to settle a divorce when it is involved. There’s something about real estate that makes it different from other assets.
When doing the financial splitting during the divorce process, it’s important that you take a bird’s eye view and do a financial analysis instead of just saying you want to find a way for everyone to get an equal amount.
With real estate involved in a divorce, you should have a team of experts weighing in to contribute from their respective lenses; with a combination of essential, different perspectives, you can arrive at the best possible solution.
Approaching the issue of real estate from a completely objective standpoint makes the process run more smoothly. Rather than focusing on comfort, a practical mindset is necessary to make a decision that will best set you up for the future.

Resources

Ian Steinberhg on LinkedIn

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

What to Consider in Divorce if You Are the Breadwinner Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

Christopher Melcher is Partner at Walzer Melcher LLP, where he specializes in Family Law and represents clients in complex, high-stakes family law disputes. He is also Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine Law. Christopher is frequently hired by other family lawyers as a consultant, expert, or co-counsel on significant divorce cases in California. He joins Stacy Francis to talk about the breadwinning woman, and the financial considerations she needs to think about if she’s considering divorce.

In recent times, the number of women who are considered breadwinners has been the highest recorded number in history. More women than men are graduating college and, due to societal issues, are taking the lead in their families to earn more. The implications for how this affects marriage are such that marriages with female breadwinners are 50% more likely to end up in divorce.
When it comes to alimony agreements, it’s better to accept them and move on than to try contesting them in court. What that does is increase the amount of money you spend on legal fees and decrease the amount of money you have readily available, ultimately leaving the attorneys as the real winners.
Before pulling the plug on marriage, it’s important to seek advice from a good divorce lawyer and financial planner to prepare yourself for the economic changes that being single again will bring.
Chris recommends having a friend help you put together a team of a divorce lawyer, financial planner, and counselor while you go through the divorce process.

Resources

Christopher Melcher on LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube

WalzerMelcher.com

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

How to Choose the Right Mediation and Litigation Professional Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

Alla Roytberg is a Founding Partner at Roytberg Traum Law and Mediation P.C. She is also a collaborative attorney and mediator member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. Alla has 25 years of experience in mediation and litigation, and specializes in legal and mediation services for families and small businesses, international and cross-cultural issues, divorce, residential real estate, wills and estate. She joins Stacy Francis to talk about finding the right divorce professional for you.

Some of the better ways to find the right professional for you are to reach out to your local bar association, people you know who have gone through the divorce process, and trusted professionals in your life such as your psychotherapist.
The recent rise of public interest in mediation can be credited to the current pandemic, due to courts being closed and access to the divorce process being obstructed. For many individuals, mediation was something that worked for them, especially since it doesn’t require the court system.
For clients who live in different parts of the world, the divorce process can be difficult because of different laws and jurisdictions. It’s important to have somebody who can flag the issues and connect with the appropriate lawyers so that any agreement generated is actually enforceable and workable.
Some questions you should ask when interviewing a divorce professional are: What is your experience? What is your background? How many cases have you worked on? How many cases have gone to court? Would you go to court if needed? If so, what would that look like?

Resources

Alla Roytberg on LinkedIn | Twitter

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | Twitter

Email: stacy@francisfinancial.com

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!