Case Study 1: A Fair Shake
Matt and Sara were college sweethearts. They’ve been married over a decade and have three small children. There’s Mack, he’s nine, and the twins, Bella and Sam, who just turned seven. While Matt studied finance and Sara has her teaching certificate, the couple took over Sara’s father’s insurance company when Mack was just a baby.
Together the couple built something pretty fantastic. And yet, along the way, they realized something was missing. They didn’t communicate as they should. There was a constant underlying tension until they woke one sunny spring morning and realized neither was happy and something need to give. After a year of separation, the couple realized their marriage was over and while they’re both committed to maintaining the family’s lifestyle, neither wanted to reconcile.
These are uncertain times, but these aren’t combative times. What Matt and Sara are committed to is a collaborative effort—and working with a divorce financial analyst—that focuses on long-range goals to maintain the family’s lifestyle and secure their children’s future. What are the tax implications? What about college for the kids? After the legal separation is over, who gets what? Answering these questions is just the beginning.
Case Study 2: Blindsided
When Frankie comes across a strange receipt in Brad’s suit coat, she’s curious. While checking credit card and bank statements she also notices Brad’s moved a heck of a lot of money from their savings account to another account, which she cannot access.
Frankie lives a seemingly charmed life. Her husband—of nearly twenty years—is a business owner. She volunteers at the kids’ school and has been a stay-at-home mom to their two daughters, Brit and Jory. She’s beginning to wonder what other secrets Brad has when the other brick falls.
Brad tells her he’s met someone. He didn’t mean to fall in love. How could this happen? What’s happening to her family’s plans and dreams? How’s it possible he wants a divorce? Will she need to go back to work? Will they be forced to sell the family home? What about Jory and Brit’s college tuition? What will the future hold? And, if she can’t trust Brad to be honest, how will she protect herself and what’s left of her family?
Case Study 3: Special Strategies for Special Needs
Chris and Terri have two sons. Their elder son, Cal, was born using a surrogate; two years later the couple adopted a second son from Russia. It’s their younger child, Ryan, who’s struggled with developmental issues. He’s mid-level functioning on the autism spectrum.
Though Ryan’s ABA therapy is pricey, Chris and Terri are excited about its efficacy. Ryan has become familiar with nearly 200 words. They both remember distinctly when Ryan was able to use a few compound words like eyebrow and backpack. Still each new tool Ryan attains is a hard-fought battle. At twelve, it’s pretty clear he’ll need care for the rest of his life.
With this realization, Ryan’s long-term care is at the forefront of figuring out the dissolution of Chris and Terri’s relationship.
They don’t want Cal to be burdened with his brother’s care. What about when Cal has a family of his own? What financial strategies should the couple use during their separation to secure long-term care for their special needs son?
