Finances When Going Through Divorce

This is the article I never wanted to write, and none of you ever wanted to have to read. Sadly, too many of us, myself included, were hit with a stark realization that this was our path, whether we wanted it to be or not. Having taken this journey myself and counseled many women along the way, I want to share a few thoughts to encourage you and, hopefully, help you know what to do next.

First, I hope that even women in solid marriages are reading this out of curiosity or even to help a loved one. If this is you, I can’t stress enough that the most important thing you can do while married is to be an active participant in your finances so you are not caught by surprise if all of a sudden you are alone or alone in leading the family’s finances, due to one of many reasons. This doesn’t mean you have to be in charge of things you don’t feel qualified to do, like picking investments, but it does mean you generally understand where your assets and debt are located and what they amount to, and what your cash flow looks like. I would also encourage you, while you are married, to live a purposeful life integrated into your community. There are many God-ordained reasons for this, but a natural outcome is that if you go through divorce or lose a spouse to death or disability, it will be easier to get the support you need and easier to find a job if you don’t already have one.

I can say with confidence that as I took each next step, God provided, and I believe He will provide for you too!

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