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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Asset Allocation

Property Division

Why is the vesting schedule important when evaluating stock options in divorce?

Financial

Cash Flow

How do I calculate my income if I am a stay-at-home parent?

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?

Process

Cash Flow

Can direct payment arrangements be modified after they are established?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

Can we split our credit card debts in half?

Parenting

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

Financial

Cash Flow

Property Division

How are cash flow and property division connected?

Retirement

Post Divorce

Property Division

Are there any fees associated with the QDRO process?

Getting Started

Readiness

What do I do if my spouse and I have very different levels of divorce readiness?

Parenting

What should we do if one parent repeatedly fails to support or attend the child's extracurricular activities, causing the child to feel disappointed or unsupported?

Parenting

In the event of a sick day, what measures can we put in place to ensure our child receives adequate care and attention, considering both parents may have differing work schedules or responsibilities?

Process

Getting Started

Process & Other Professionals

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

Post Divorce

Property Division

Can the property division be changed after the divorce is finalized?

Property Division

What date should I use to value the assets and liabilities in a balance sheet?

Financial

Cash Flow

I earn more than my spouse, can I request spousal support?

Attorney

Getting Started

Attorneys

Do attorneys accept credit card payments?

Financial

Property Division

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

Asset Allocation

Property Division

What are Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and how do they differ from stock options?

Parenting

Are there ways to involve our children in educational decisions without putting pressure on them to choose sides?

Cash Flow

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

General

Property Division

What are options for our pet in a divorce?

Financial

Cash Flow

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

Parenting

What resources are available to support me/us in creating a parenting plan?

Legal

Cash Flow

Is spousal support the same as child support?

Retirement

Post Divorce

Property Division

How does the timing of the QDRO submission affect retirement asset division?

Financial

Cash Flow

How can spouses ensure a fair and equitable lump sum buyout agreement?

Property Division

Post Divorce

How can a quit claim deed affect my financial future if I transfer my interest in the property to my ex-spouse?

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

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

Parenting

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

Post Divorce

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

Post Divorce

Process & Other Professionals

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

Parenting

When do holidays start/end in a co-parenting schedule?

Attorney

Getting Started

Attorneys

What is the difference between a solo attorney and an attorney at a firm?

Parenting

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

Financial

Cash Flow

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

Legal

Property Division

Is my state a community property state?

Getting Started

Readiness

What if my spouse doesn’t want a divorce?

Financial

Cash Flow

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

Financial

Cash Flow

How do we share college expenses for our children?

Parenting

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

Professionals

Process & Other Professionals

Getting Started

Do I need non-lawyer professionals for my divorce?

Attorney

Getting Started

Attorneys

Why would an attorney not meet with me for a consult?

Financial

Property Division

What is the difference between a credit score and a credit report?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

Where do I find the "legal description" of real property or real estate?

Financial

Cash Flow

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

Process

Parenting

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

Process

Getting Started

Attorneys

If I don’t have an attorney, do I have to go in front of a judge to obtain a divorce?

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?

Attorney

Getting Started

Attorneys

What if my attorney isn’t responding to me or listening to me?

Post Divorce

What is the difference between enforcement and modification?

Cash Flow

How do I account for pre-tax deductions from my income in a cash flow analysis?

Legal

Cash Flow

My ex just took a new job and makes substantially more money than when we were divorced, do I have a right to more in spousal support?

Process

Parenting

What are the benefits of using a parent coordinator in a high-conflict co-parenting situation?

Financial

Property Division

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

Legal

Property Division

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

Budgeting

Cash Flow

Should our budgets moving into separate homes add up to our historical budget in one home?

Property Division

Process & Other Professionals

Property Division

Post Divorce

What happens if I can’t refinance the mortgage like the decree says I should?

Process

Cash Flow

What happens if one party fails to fulfill their obligations under a direct payment agreement?

Post Divorce

Process & Other Professionals

Who can help resolve high-conflict parenting issues after divorce?

Legal

Property Division

Do I have to share my inheritance?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

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

Financial

Cash Flow

What should I consider before agreeing to a direct payment arrangement in my divorce?

Parenting

What are some ways to ensure that our communication remains respectful and positive, especially when discussing sensitive or contentious issues?

Process

Cash Flow

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

Asset Allocation

Property Division

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

Retirement

Property Division

Do I have to share my retirement with my spouse if I earned it all myself?

Process

Cash Flow

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

Financial

Property Division

How do I know if my spouse’s client list or goodwill has value to be looked at in divorce?

Asset Allocation

Property Division

How can an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) impact divorce proceedings?

Retirement

Property Division

What about a loan against my retirement?

Parenting

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

Attorney

Getting Started

Attorneys

Will I lose my retainer if I don’t want to work with my attorney anymore?

Parenting

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

Financial

Cash Flow

How can direct payment arrangements affect taxes in a 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

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

What steps can we take to make the introduction of a new significant other as smooth and positive as possible for our children?

Parenting

I would like my child to take swimming lessons, I want her to take lessons at the local community center that costs $100 a session and my co-parent wants to go to a private swim school for $500 a session. I cannot afford this – what should we do?

Attorney

Getting Started

Attorneys

Can one attorney represent both of us?

Financial

Cash Flow

I want to retire but have a spousal support obligation, what should I do?

Parenting

Can I prevent the other parent from smoking around our children?

Parenting

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

Asset Allocation

Post Divorce

Property Division

How do we divide frequent flyer miles or reward points after divorce?

Parenting

Our 13 year old child has indicated the parenting schedule they would like, should we follow their request?

Financial

Cash Flow

How are direct payment arrangements established in a divorce?

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

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

Property Division

Post Divorce

Property Division

What if the property is underwater (worth less than the mortgage) during the divorce?

Asset Allocation

Process & Other Professionals

Property Division

How do I know if my spouse is hiding money?

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?

Legal

Property Division

Is my state an equitable division state?

Retirement

Property Division

Why are retirement accounts different than other assets in divorce?

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?

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 do divorced parents typically handle a parents’ birthday?

Cash Flow

Our current incomes are unusual in light of what we earned over the course of the marriage, does this matter?

Attorney

Cash Flow

Attorneys

Getting Started

Do I have to keep working with my attorney if I don’t like them?

Property Division

Post Divorce

Are there tax implications to consider when transferring real estate post-divorce?

Financial

Property Division