Divorce Attorney Reacts to NYT Bestseller "Strangers" — What She Got Wrong

A 19-year marriage. Two luxury homes purchased with inherited trust money. One prenup signed under pressure five days before the wedding. When divorce attorney Drew Soshnik breaks down the financial decisions in the NYT bestseller "Strangers," the lessons for protecting your wealth become impossible to ignore. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - Why liquidating a trust to purchase property with your spouse can eliminate your legal protections - What "coercive financial control" looks like in high-net-worth marriages—and the warning signs to watch for - How prenuptial agreements can fail to protect you if assets are commingled or retitled - The critical difference between keeping assets in a trust vs. putting them in joint names - Why the timing and pressure around signing a prenup matters legally and emotionally In this episode, Tasia and licensed divorce attorney Drew Soshnik (practicing in four states including New York) examine the financial decisions detailed in Belle Burden's NYT bestselling memoir "Strangers." The book chronicles a high-net-worth divorce after 19 years of marriage, revealing how the author—a former corporate lawyer turned stay-at-home mother—lost access to millions in inherited wealth. Drew explains the concept of coercive financial control, referencing research from University of Toronto professor Mike Saini, and identifies the warning signs present in the book's narrative: monthly budget monitoring down to smoothie purchases, requests for detailed spending accounting, and complete exclusion from income visibility. The conversation examines how the author's decision to liquidate two family trusts and purchase a Manhattan apartment ($4M) and Martha's Vineyard home ($5.5M) in joint names converted protected separate property into marital property—despite having a prenuptial agreement. Drew breaks down how prenups work in New York versus other states, why tracing provisions matter, and how pressure to sign or modify agreements close to the wedding date can lead to devastating financial outcomes. This episode provides an essential perspective for anyone navigating marriage, divorce, or estate planning with significant assets. If this episode helped you think differently about protecting your assets, subscribe to Graceful Investor for more conversations that help you take control of your financial future. Share this with someone who needs to hear it before they make similar decisions. LINKS & RESOURCES "Strangers" by Belle Burden: https://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Memoir-Marriage-Belle-Burden/dp/0593733312 Drew Soshnik's law practice: https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/professionals/s/soshnick-andrew-z#tab-Overview Previous episode with Drew Soshnik: https://youtu.be/4tKyCIeYTa4 Professor Mike Saini's research on coercive control: https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/9702-michael-saini/publications #DivorceFinances #PrenupAdvice #WealthProtection #GracefulInvestor #FinancialPlanning