Whether you’re a mom considering divorce, in the middle of it, or already building your next chapter, this conversation will help you make more informed decisions about your money and your future. Financial advisor Wendy West shares practical tips and money-saving strategies you can put into action, even if you’ve never handled the finances, including an often-overlooked detail that could affect the people you want to protect.

The financial impact of divorce can last long after the paperwork is signed, and the pressure to move on can make it difficult to see beyond what you need right now. When you’re emotionally exhausted or facing unfamiliar financial decisions, knowing which questions to ask can help you protect more than your immediate peace of mind.

Wendy and I explore the tension between wanting relief today and creating stability for tomorrow. We talk about understanding your financial picture, recognizing decisions that can have lasting consequences, and finding your footing when money feels overwhelming.

Whether you’re preparing for a change, working through a settlement, or revisiting decisions you’ve already made, you’ll come away with a clearer sense of what deserves your attention and where to begin.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Financial Preparedness in Divorce
01:54 The Role of Financial Advisors for Women in Transition
04:15 Common Financial Mistakes & Understanding Your Finances
08:17 Identifying Financial Assets & Liabilities
11:39 Building an Emergency Fund
14:42 Managing Debt, Hidden Assets, and Budgeting Strategies
27:00 When Emotions Drive Financial Decisions
30:43 Retirement Accounts and Planning Beyond Support Payments
34:28 Key Do’s and Don’ts for Financial Stability
36:24 Investing and Estate Planning

**This conversation is for general education only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Please consult your own financial advisor and attorney for advice about your specific circumstances.

Find & Contact Wendy West:

Website: https://www.wwfinancialgroup.com

Email: wendy@wwfinancialgroup.com

Office: 815.762.5500

Find & Follow Brooke on:

Website: http://alifereimagined.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooketalksdivorce

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-gaston/

Blog: http://alifereimagined.com/divorce-blog-for-moms

Divorce Support Resources: http://alifereimagined.com/resources

Free Divorce Guides: https://alifereimagined.com/freebies/

Navigating a high-conflict divorce with a manipulative spouse can leave you afraid to stand up for yourself, and exhausted from trying to keep the peace.

In this episode of The Smart Mom’s Guide to Divorce, divorce attorney Leslye Swigert joins Brooke to explore three big divorce mistakes that can cost moms money, peace of mind, and confidence in their next steps.

Maybe you’re hoping your spouse will finally play fair. Maybe you’re worried you can’t afford an attorney, or watching legal bills grow while your spouse refuses to cooperate. Or maybe you’re wondering whether stopping the fight means letting them win.

When every decision feels expensive and emotionally loaded, how do you know what’s actually in your best interest?

From manipulation and mediation to financial power imbalances and legal abuse, this candid conversation explores what makes high-conflict divorce so difficult, and the questions that can help you find your way forward. We discuss choosing the right attorney, what happens when a spouse won’t comply, and the tension between fighting for what you want and protecting your future.

Leslye brings an attorney’s perspective to the fears so many moms carry quietly: What if I make the wrong decision? What if I can’t afford this? What if they take advantage of me again?

Listen for a clearer understanding of your options, the questions worth asking, and what you can realistically expect from the legal process, so you can approach your next step feeling more informed and less alone.

CHAPTERS
00:00 High-Conflict Divorce: What Moms Need to Know
09:18 Choosing the Right Divorce Attorney & Setting Expectations
14:48 Divorce Costs: What’s Worth Fighting For?
20:48 Going It Alone: Legal Advice, Fear & Financial Support
33:07 Serving a High-Conflict Spouse & Handling Noncompliance
44:06 Legal Abuse, Power Imbalances & Attorney Ethics
46:57 Understanding Your Finances, Spousal Support & Marital Property
58:09 Mediation With a Manipulative Spouse: What to Consider
1:04:14 Building Your Divorce Support Team

**This episode is for general educational purposes and is not legal advice. Divorce laws and court practices vary by location. Speak with a qualified attorney about your specific circumstances.

Learn more about Leslye Swigert at https://www.singewaldlawus.com/

You can find and follow Brooke on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooketalksdivorce

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brooketalksdivorce

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brooketalksdivorce

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-gaston/

Website: http://alifereimagined.com

Blog: http://alifereimagined.com/divorce-blog-for-moms

Free Divorce Guides: https://alifereimagined.com/freebies/

Subscribe for more insights to help you through marriage struggles, divorce, and everything that can come next.

When your marriage ends, you aren’t only grieving the relationship. You may also be grieving the future you pictured, the family traditions you expected to keep, friendships that changed, financial security, time with your children, and parts of yourself you may not even realize you lost.

In this honest, reflective, and genuinely fun conversation, I sit down with Liz, a divorced mom of three and certified grief professional, to talk about what grief after divorce really looks like for moms and children.

We talk about why grief doesn’t follow five neat stages, why feelings can resurface around graduations and other family milestones, and how children may express grief in different ways. Liz also shares how she made room for her sons’ feelings without trying to fix them, found support when no one in her close circle was divorced, and learned to stop spending her energy trying to make other people understand her decisions.

This is also a very real conversation about crying in the car, learning to say less to your ex, becoming the “token divorced woman” in the room, and occasionally announcing your divorce with jazz hands because you have no idea how else to say it.

If you are worried about your children, struggling with the life you didn’t expect, or wondering why certain losses still hit you long after the divorce began, I hope this episode helps you understand what you’re feeling and reminds you that you don’t have to rush through it.

Your life may not look the way you once imagined. That doesn’t mean it can’t still be beautiful.

**This conversation can also help family and friends understand how to support someone grieving a divorce, death, or other significant loss, even when they aren’t sure what to say.

CHAPTERS

00:00 The Truth About Grief After Divorce
01:45 What a Grieving Person Actually Needs
06:31 Navigating Divorce: The Decision to Leave
08:56 Finding People Who Truly Understand
13:32 Fining Support: Community and Connection
15:19 Surviving the Early Days as a Mom
20:59 Grieving the Future You Thought You’d Have
23:52 The Hidden Losses That Come With Divorce
28:01 How Adults and Children Experience Grief
32:53 The Perception of Children in Divorce
35:29 Creating a Safe Space for Emotions
38:03 Navigating Co-Parenting Challenges
41:03 Letting Go of the Validation You May Never Get
44:44 Preparing Yourself and Supporting Your Children
51:51 Why Grieving a Living Person Is So Complicated
55:42 Friendship, Inclusion, and Finding Joy Again
01:05:13 Self-Care and Moving Forward

DISCLAIMER & SUPPORT

This conversation is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for mental health care, therapy, medical care, or legal advice.

If you are struggling emotionally or simply need someone to talk to, you can call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org to chat with a trained counselor. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7 throughout the United States and its territories.

For help finding local mental health services and other community resources, including free or low-cost options, call 211 or visit https://211.org. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.

Find & follow Brooke on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooketalksdivorce

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brooketalksdivorce

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brooketalksdivorce

Website: http://alifereimagined.com