PartWise | Common Questions

Common Questions

What you Need to Know

Find answers to specific questions that often come up as you navigate divorce.

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Post Divorce

What if my divorce decree does not include a name change provision?

Parenting

What legal steps can we take if one parent makes unilateral decisions without consulting the other?

Property Division

What is dissipation of marital assets in a divorce?

Cash Flow

In a cash flow analysis, what if I only work part-time?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

What’s the difference between a home equity loan and a HELOC (home equity line of credit)?

Financial

Property Division

What are the most common outcomes for a division of personal property (our "stuff") in divorce?

Parenting

If we agree to change our parenting time schedule, do we have to notify anyone or can we just implement the change ourselves?

Parenting

What are some best practices for keeping each other informed about schedules, costs, and commitments related to our children's extracurricular activities?

Parenting

How should we handle situations where our children are struggling to adjust to a new significant other in one of our lives?

Parenting

If our child's extracurricular activities require frequent travel or overnight stays, how should we coordinate these plans to ensure both parents are comfortable and involved?

Legal

Parenting

How do custody labels impact the way we make decisions about childcare?

Parenting

How do we handle situations where one parent wants to discontinue an activity that the other parent and/or child enjoy and find beneficial?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

How is a whole or universal life insurance policy addressed in divorce?

Healthcare

Parenting

I have always been the primary decision-maker on medical decisions for the kids, does that have to change?

Parenting

If my co-parent disagrees with the timing of introducing a new significant other, what steps can we take to reach a consensus?

Parenting

How can we manage joint decision-making if one parent is more knowledgeable about a specific area, like a child’s special education needs?

Parenting

If one parent wants the children to participate in a specific religious activity and the other does not, how can this be resolved?

Parenting

How can we set up a communication system that minimizes misunderstandings and ensures both parents are always informed about the children’s activities and well-being?

Post Divorce

How should I handle updating my name with my insurance policies?

Parenting

My co-parent doesn’t answer my calls when I want to talk to the children – what can I do?

Post Divorce

Can I change my name on my child's school records?

Parenting

How should I address concerns about substance use during my co-parent's parenting time?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

What should be reviewed to accurately assess the value of stock options or RSUs in divorce?

Post Divorce

Property Division

Can I start my own accounts for the benefit of the children after the divorce?

Financial

Cash Flow

Are property division and cash flow the same thing?

Parenting

What considerations should be taken into account when involving a third party, such as a family member or professional service, in transportation duties?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

If we have already divided our personal property and furnished separate households, do we have to go through all personal use assets?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

What happens to my frequent flier miles in divorce?

Parenting

What if our parenting schedule no longer feels right for the kids?

Professionals

Getting Started

Process & Other Professionals

Can a divorce coach replace a therapist?

Process

Cash Flow

Our parenting time schedule recently changed, do we have to update child support?

Parenting

Do I have to agree to my co-parent adjusting the parenting schedule to go to an event with his family?

Parenting

How can I determine the right time to introduce my children to my new significant other to ensure it is in their best interest?

Process

Getting Started

Process & Other Professionals

What is a “kitchen table” divorce?

Parenting

Is Winter Break or Spring Break treated as holidays or a no-school days for purposes of the parenting plan?

Getting Started

Process & Other Professionals

How do I find a mediator?

Parenting

What is the role of a parenting consultant in resolving co-parenting disputes?

Parenting

What steps can we take if one parent consistently disagrees with the agreed-upon guidelines and discipline measures, leading to inconsistent enforcement?

Parenting

How can we ensure that our children understand and respect the rules and expectations set by both parents when they might be slightly different in each household?

Parenting

I would like our child to participate in an activity that only occurs on my parenting time – do I need my co-parent’s agreement?

Post Divorce

Parenting

Post Divorce

Can parenting schedules be changed after divorce?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

How should I think through property division?

Parenting

What are some effective strategies for ensuring timely and consistent sharing of important information about our children’s school and medical updates?

Cash Flow

What if my expenses change from my estimates?

Process

Getting Started

Process & Other Professionals

Do I have to start over if the collaborative process is terminated?

Cash Flow

Do I have to document what I spend my child support payment on?

Parenting

What should we do if we disagree on a specific medical treatment or intervention for our child?

Parenting

I want to introduce my child to my new significant other, why should I wait?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

What if I moved my separate assets into a joint account?

Financial

Cash Flow

In a cash flow analysis, what if I don’t earn regular income but am all or mostly paid on commissions?

Financial

Property Division

How does divorce affect my credit report?

Parenting

What should we do if one parent’s work schedule frequently conflicts with attending important school or medical appointments?

Post Divorce

Process & Other Professionals

What professionals should I contact for post-decree financial issues?

Financial

Cash Flow

What are some potential risks or downsides of accepting a lump sum buyout?

Parenting

What do we do if there is an unscheduled no school day, like a snow day?

Financial

Cash Flow

What if we disagree on an extracurricular expense for the children?

Process

Cash Flow

If I buy out spousal support in a lump sum and my spouse gets married, can I get some of the lump sum back?

Parenting

What role do family traditions play in maintaining extended family relationships after divorce?

Parenting

What are some effective ways to communicate and enforce consequences for major infractions when the children transition between our two homes?

Retirement

Property Division

What does "tax-effecting" retirement mean?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

How do I value accounts that change in value regularly, like bank accounts?

Cash Flow

Are there cost of living increases to spousal support?

Cash Flow

How do I calculate medical, dental and insurance premiums for the kids?

Post Divorce

What if I encounter resistance or confusion when updating my name with certain institutions?

Parenting

What role should a new significant other play in our children's lives, and how can we set appropriate boundaries?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

Can I use my bank appraisal from a mortgage refinance to establish a value of the house for divorce?

Financial

Cash Flow

How are direct payment arrangements established in a divorce?

Financial

Property Division

How do I value a service business, like consulting, coaching or a legal practice?

Parenting

What are the benefits and potential drawbacks of jurisdictions that do not use custody labels but instead focus on comprehensive parenting plans?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

How is a signing bonus typically treated in a divorce settlement?

Post Divorce

What is the difference between enforcement and modification?

Process

Cash Flow

How can disputes over direct expenses be resolved in a divorce?

Cash Flow

What happens if spousal support ends while I still have minor children?

Attorney

Getting Started

Attorneys

Do attorneys accept credit card payments?

Financial

Property Division

Why can’t we both have our names on the 529 plans?

Property Division

What valuation date should be used for the final property division?

Parenting

My co-parent is taking the children out of town for a week on an agreed-upon vacation, should we make up my missed time when they return?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

What is the difference between a year-end bonus and a performance bonus?

Financial

Cash Flow

Instead of paying spousal maintenance, can I make my ex-spouse’s house payment?

Professionals

Process & Other Professionals

Getting Started

Who pays for non-lawyer divorce professionals?

Parenting

What steps can we take if one parent consistently fails to communicate about important decisions or events?

Process

Parenting

How does arbitration differ from other ADR methods like mediation in resolving parenting disputes?

Legal

Property Division

Is my state an equitable division state?

Financial

Cash Flow

How do we share college expenses for our children?

Parenting

What should we do if our work schedules vary greatly, and we don’t think a regular parenting schedule will work for us?

Parenting

How do divorced parents typically handle Mother’s Day and/or Father’s Day?

Parenting

How can we handle transportation logistics if one parent lives significantly farther away from the child’s school or extracurricular activities?

Process

Post Divorce

What is my date of divorce?

Budgeting

Cash Flow

We lived in a $500,000 house during our marriage, do I have a right to another house of that same price moving forward?

Parenting

We have a week on/week off parenting schedule, but it’s too long to be away – is there anything I can do?

Professionals

Getting Started

Process & Other Professionals

What’s the difference between using a CDFA and just asking my financial advisor for help?

Parenting

What do we do if both parents are unavailable when our child gets sick?

Retirement

Post Divorce

Property Division

Are there any fees associated with the QDRO process?

Financial

Cash Flow

Property Division

How are cash flow and property division connected?

Parenting

How can I discuss the introduction of my new significant other with my co-parent to ensure transparency and cooperation?

Parenting

How do divorced parents typically handle children’s birthdays?

Legal

Property Division

What does it mean to be jointly and severally liable for debt in divorce?

Process

Parenting

My state doesn’t use the term “visitation” – so what is it called when my ex has time with the children?

Parenting

Can we each have different childcare providers on our separate parenting time?

Property Division

Post Divorce