Retirement accounts and pensions are often one of the biggest assets to be divided in a divorce or legal separation. Certain types of retirement accounts and pensions must be joined to the case, so that the court’s order for division of the account can be followed. Information about what types of plans must be joined and which do not need to be can be found on California Judicial Council Form FL-318-Info or by talking to a lawyer.

Sometimes while going through a divorce, spouses realize that they don’t want to end their marriage and decide to give it another try. What happens then?
If a judgment of divorce has already been issued, then the parties are legally single. If they would like to be married again, they will need to remarry.

QDRO stands for Qualified Domestic Relations Order. A QDRO is used to divide certain types of pensions and retirement plans. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) was passed in 1974 and under this act, certain benefits may only be paid out to the plan participant with a court order, a QDRO, dividing or assigning the benefits.

There are a lot of legal and financial things to keep in mind during a divorce. But don’t forget that a divorce can also be an emotional and psychological process. A divorce is generally a big change in your life.

Review your paystubs: Be aware of your typical monthly income, any variations and fluctuations, and what deductions are being made in terms of taxes, benefits payments, etc. This helps in filling out your financial disclosures and for planning your budget.

When you are divorcing, there are a lot of assets to divide. The court and law are prepared to help you divide your bank accounts and furniture and to remind you to update your insurance beneficiaries and will once the divorce is complete. But have you considered your digital assets and security?

Co-parenting after a divorce or separation can tense, even in very amicable situations as each parent and the children learn to adjust to their new normal. Keeping both parents on the same page regarding scheduling, transportation, and upcoming events and appointments is a big task. Luckily there are some apps that can help.

Our Family Wizard – Allows parents to share calendars and files, as well as tracking expenses. It also has a messaging feature. The app is available for both Apple and Android. Pricing starts at $99 and there is an option to apply for a fee waiver.

There are a lot of practical, legal, and financial things to keep in mind when you are going through a divorce. But don’t forget that the divorce process can also be an emotional and psychological process as well. A divorce is generally a big change in your life, your soon to be ex spouse’s life, and in the lives of your children if you have them. Though it can seem like one more thing to add to an already large list, remembering to take care of your self is an important part of the divorce process. Here are some things that may help you through the process: