Episodes | The Divorce Field Guide

At the outset of the podcast, I flag an important concept for listeners to keep in mind while listening to all other episodes in the podcast. Everything you'll hear in the podcast is for general informational purposes only!

Episode 1 of The Divorce Field Guide is our introductory episode to The Divorce Field Guide. We'll cover an overview of what's to come in the podcast, and what you can expect to learn from it. We'll also review two key concepts, which will serve as a foundation for future episodes.

In Episode 2 of The Divorce Field Guide, we cover the basics of negotiation and understand why it plays an important role in your divorce, and why it pays to brush up on your negotiation skills.

Episode 3 of The Divorce Field Guide dives into more detail on the role of negotiation in your divorce, and we cover our first type of divorce negotiation: the DIY Divorce.

Episode 4 of The Divorce Field Guide is all about divorce mediation. We cover how it works, who's involved, who talks to whom, how much attorney involvement you can expect, how likely you are to spend time in court, and more.

Episode 5 of The Divorce Field Guide takes a close look at collaborative law. We cover how it works, who's involved, who talks to whom, how much attorney involvement you can expect, how likely you are to spend time in court, and more.

Episode 6 of The Divorce Field Guide focuses on settlement negotiation in divorce. We cover how it works, who's involved, who talks to whom, how much attorney involvement you can expect, how likely you are to spend time in court, and more.

Episode 7 of The Divorce Field Guide is all about divorcing in court (i.e., in litigation!). We cover how it works, who's involved, who talks to whom, how much attorney involvement you can expect, how likely you are to spend time in court, and more.

Episode 8 of The Divorce Field Guide centers around arbitration in divorce. We cover how it works, who's involved, who talks to whom, how much attorney involvement you can expect, how likely you are to spend time in court, and more.

In Episode 9 of The Divorce Field Guide, we recap the six different negotiation processes covered in Episodes 3 through 8. We also take on the two more popular divorce-related questions: How long will my divorce take? And how much will my divorce cost?

Episode 10 of The Divorce Field Guide is all about how to hire the right divorce attorney or mediator.

Episode 11 of The Divorce Field Guide takes you through what to expect from and how to prepare for your initial divorce consultation.

In Episode 12 of The Divorce Field Guide, we cover the gathering and sharing of financial information -- simultaneously one of the most important and most dreaded parts of the divorce process -- and break it down to make it as clear and painless as possible for you!

Episode 13 of The Divorce Field Guide is all about kids and divorce. We talk custody, parenting schedules, authority to make decisions for your kids, travel, moving post-divorce, and more.

In Episode 14 of The Divorce Field Guide, we walk through the different types of financial support that are covered in a divorce: financial support for kids (child support) and for spouses (spousal support).

Episode 15 of The Divorce Field Guide is about dividing your assets and your debts in a divorce process.

Episode 16 of The Divorce Field Guide is all about the overlap of taxes and divorce.

In Episode 17 of The Divorce Field Guide, we'll delve into health insurance, life insurance and estate planning, as they tend to arise in divorce.

In Episode 18 of The Divorce Field Guide, we talk about the mechanics of paying for your divorce, and we discuss how to think about "what the law says" in your divorce.

Episode 19 of The Divorce Field Guide is all about pro tips! For those of you who've made it this far in the podcast, we've got pro tips on negotiating and on managing the interpersonal dynamics specific to divorce.

In Episode 20 of The Divorce Field Guide, we wrap up the podcast by reviewing our top listener questions about divorce.

In this episode, we review the most common 50-50 (equal time) parenting schedules for divorced parents.

In this episode, we look at how divorced parents typically share holidays with their kids.

In this episode, we review the commitments and restrictions around traveling with kids after a divorce.

In this episode, we delve into how parents can manage their kids' passports and citizenship post-divorce.

In this episode, we look at the different commitments parents make re introducing future significant others to their kids.  

How much deference should parents give to their children's opinions on a parenting schedule? Episode 26 addresses that challenging topic.

Following a divorce, many parents must mutually agree on all major decisions for their kids. Episode 27 explores what happens when they can't.

In this episode, we look at the concept of an alimony buyout, and how it may or may not be an attractive option in your divorce.

In this episode, we explore what you can do when your spouse presents a low-ball offer in your divorce negotiation.

Many divorcing parents want to address how college will be paid for. Episode 30 looks at the different ways you might do that as part of your divorce.

If your spouse is self-employed, how can you figure out their income for support purposes in a divorce? Tune into Episode 31 for two key tips.

In Episode 32, we examine the pros and cons of having your mediator vs. your own attorney draft your settlement agreement in a divorce mediation.

What's the difference between a legal separation and a legal divorce? Episode 34 breaks it down for you.

Should you maintain a joint account with your ex after your divorce? Let's look more closely at why you might, and why not, in Episode 35.

When you separate your households, who keeps what? If you can't agree, how can you resolve your conflict? Episode 37 walks you through dividing your "stuff" as a part of divorce. (Hint: it's often simpler than you think.)

In December 2017, our tax law underwent a major overhaul. Let's discuss the components of that overhaul that are most relevant to divorce.

Many couples going through a divorce have questions about whether they can (or should) file taxes jointly with their spouse. Episode 51 looks at the pros and cons of filing jointly while divorcing.

Is it a good idea to communicate directly with your spouse during your divorce? It really depends. We'll discuss some common pitfalls and how to work around them in Episode 52.

What happens when you change your mind about something you've already agreed to in your negotiation? Is it too late? What are the effects on your negotiation process? And how can you minimize the likelihood of that happening?

What's an interim agreement? When might you want one? What are some of the potential pitfalls of signing an interim agreement? We'll discuss these topics and more in Episode 54.

More often than not, spouses bring differing levels of comfort with and knowledge of their finances to the divorce process. This can be challenging, especially in a mediation, where spouses participate more actively in the negotiation of their own settlement. What are the best ways of working with this kind of disparity in spouses' financial sophistication, while maintaining a commitment to a reasonable settlement process?

One of the many changes that divorce brings may be a return to the workforce for a spouse who has previously stayed home. The issue of how and how quickly this happens can be a source of conflict between divorcing spouses. In Episode 56, we'll take a look at reasonable approaches - by both sposues - to one spouse's return to the workforce.

Your divorce will likely take a while to resolve. What happens when the assets that are the subject of your divorce change in value during the process?

For many reasons, couples may initiate a divorce process and then put it on the back burner for months or years. What are the consequences of doing that? And what are some things you should consider if you're anticipating letting your divorce lapse, or are in the midst of a well-lapsed divorce?

Most people who hope to settle their divorce out of court envision working with reasonable attorneys in the process, on both sides. What happens when your spouse doesn't share your vision, at least insofar as his or her attorney is concerned? And what are the most constructive ways you can approach your divorce negotiation if your spouse has hired an aggressive attorney? 

Divorce brings with it a lot of changes, a number of which can be unwelcome. At least, initially. How can you work productively with difficult change in the divorce process, and how can you support your spouse in doing so?

It's not uncommon for spouses to come to a divorce mediation process without feeling much trust for one another. Episode 61 looks at the ways that the mediation process can be structured to solve for an absence of trust, and what red flags, in particular around lack of transparency and integrity, may indicate that mediation is not an appropriate process for you.

Many people are in a relationship with a significant other while going through their divorce. How does that impact your divorce process? Episode 62 will explore this dynamic and its impact on divorce negotiation. We'll offer some tips on how to ensure, if you do have a significant other while divorcing, that your divorce process goes as well as possible.

People's incomes change over time, and divorce is no exception to that. What happens when your or your spouse's income changes - for better or for worse - in the divorce process? How should you consider and work with income changes in your divorce negotiation?