Divorce and Money: Everything You Need to Know

2 marriages down and this book is saving me major dollars in ending the 2nd one!It has helped me to understand all of the issues that I need to deal with as well as to learn what info I needed to gather. In my 1st divorce, I caved because I did not know where to go to get help with my home work. Now, finally, I have learned the importance of focusing on the facts and documenting all of my home work as well as business transactions.This book is so very user-friendly.....it breaks down complicated info into readily understandable (in English!) usable knowledge. I read 2 other books on the same topics and my eyes glazed over.....too boring!!! This book is the ONE AND ONLY WAY TO SAVE MONEY IN LAWYER FEES AND EMOTIONAL CAPITAL.....8 STARS****

What I liked about this book is that it listed all sorts of things (experts, disasters, retirement, for example)I need to consider and investigate in my divorce. It helped me concentrate on the practical problems - not the emotional ones. And it told me about alternatives to going to court and spending a fortune on litigation: mediation and collaborative divorce.

From a divorced health professional: This is a great book, packed with up to date, realistic and useful information at a reasonable price, particularly as compared to other alternatives. It is NOT biased in directing the reader to a lawyer, but instead offers practical advice when a "one size fits all" or "cookbook" answer would be inappropriate or varies by state or county. To the contrary, a main point of this book is to encourage the reader to understand the financial issues involved, so as to be able to take personal responsibility to try to minimize legal fees. An ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure, before making final decisions and signing on the dotted line. Moreover, a word of caution: the judicial system, as in the court, judges, masters, etc. respond negatively to people who represent themselves, particularly when the opposing side has legal representation. Even out of court, if your spouse has a lawyer and you don't, it would be self-destructive to go up against them on your own. It would be folly to try and "buck the system" to save a buck. In fact, if a lawyer recommends this book to a client, that's a good sign that they will NOT take advantage of that client, who is then well informed, and more likely to be able to do some of the background work for themselves. This book helps take the stress out by giving you the knowledge to help yourself and thereby to help your lawyer, IF you use one.

Gayle Rosenwald Smith's book is the most useful and user-friendly book for people going through divorce that I have seen in a long, long time. Her advice is practical, intelligent, and for this Texas divorce lawyer, an invaluable tool that I plan to recommend to all of my clients. It guides the reader through the often confusing jungle of financial issues that arise in divorce in a concise and clear manner without talking down. Especially useful were the "Views from the Bench" and glossary of legal and financial terms. Smith has obviously done her homework, interviewing attorneys, judges and financial advisors across the country. I'd gladly recommend it to anyone who's facing the often confusing and frightening prospect of divorce.