Magazine

How One Woman Took Control of Her Finances After Divorce

By Ellevest Team

Two kids. A demanding job. PTA meetings, and book clubs, and taxes. Kelly’s* plate was already full, even before her divorce and financial situation as a newly single mother. In the wake of her breakup, her finances felt out of control — and she had a fresh slew of financial choices to make. She needed help making the right ones. 

Enter Ellevest financial planner, Sofia Figueroa  

With Sofia, Kelly talked through concerns about her financial situation, her hopes for the future, and questions she had about moving on to the next chapter of her life. She wondered if she would ever be able to retire — or if the divorce had derailed her plans to step away from full-time work someday. 

Mostly, she worried about her kids. Kelly’s parents had paid for her education, and she wanted to be able to do the same for her kids, too. And what would happen when she was gone? Her husband had never been interested in estate planning, but it had become a priority for her now that she was single. 

How Ellevest helped Kelly feel good about the future — and get organized now

Sofia built a plan for Kelly based on three primary areas she talked about: her kids’ education, retirement, and organization. 

First, they talked about her kids. Sofia presented her with options for building education funds — even if her children choose to pursue a more unconventional path someday. They talked through her estate planning needs and what steps she needs to take to protect her family. 

Next, they discussed her plans for retirement. Sofia walked through different retirement scenarios, and how each option would potentially affect her tax situation on a short- and long-term basis. 

Finally, Sofia helped her get organized and work toward a more positive money mindset. For example, opening a high-yield savings account with multiple sub-accounts for different purposes, automating her savings, and aligning her spending with her values. 

They built a plan that helped Kelly not only feel good about her finances and her future, but her kids’ futures as well. 

An Ellevest financial planner can help you make all the puzzle pieces fit together

By women, for women: Ellevest’s all-women team of financial planners are uniquely equipped to understand your big life goals, unique situation, and financial realities — like how women have longer lifespans than men, but retire with less. 

An empathetic approach: We look at the full picture — not just what you have, but who you are. Your personal history, your dreams for the future, and your financial anxieties. We believe you should be able to tell your financial planner things you may not even be comfortable telling your friends.

Industry pros: Each planner holds the title of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, one of the highest levels of credibility in the industry. Not only do they bring a wealth of knowledge to every conversation, but they also truly want to help you succeed. (And yes, they’re also all fiduciaries.) 

Looking for personalized support post-divorce? Book a complimentary 15-minute consultation with ​​an Ellevest CFP® professional.


Disclosures

To protect our client’s privacy, we used a pseudonym.

© 2024 Ellevest, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The example shown is purely illustrative and not reflective of all clients’ experience with Ellevest.

All opinions and views expressed by Ellevest are current as of the date of this writing, are for informational purposes only, and do not constitute or imply an endorsement of any third party’s products or services.

Information was obtained from third-party sources, which we believe to be reliable but are not guaranteed for accuracy or completeness.

The information provided should not be relied upon as investment advice or recommendations, does not constitute a solicitation to buy or sell securities, and should not be considered specific legal, investment, or tax advice. Nothing contained herein may be relied upon as a guarantee, promise, assurance or a representation as to the future.

The information provided does not take into account the specific objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any specific person.

Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Ellevest, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Ellevest fees and additional information can be found at www.ellevest.com.

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Ellevest Team

Ellevest helps women build and manage their wealth through goal-based investing, financial planning, and wealth management. Our mission is to get more money in the hands of women.