Episode 005: Silver Divorce and Co-parenting After Divorce
July 12, 2023
Hosted by Brooke Benson
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
Hear from two accomplished women on two trending topics: silver divorce (many people wait until late in life to end a marriage or partnership) and for younger couples: mistakes people make in co-parenting after the divorce is final. Mary Jo Lafaye is a Home Equity Retirement Specialist with Mutual of Omaha Mortgage. She works closely with her two colleagues at Silver Divorce Consulting: an actuary who consults on tax implications of divorce and a tax lawyer in her home state of California. Together they have guided thousands of senior homeowners through the dissolution of their unions. Hannah Hembree Bell is a family lawyer in private practice. She is dedicated to helping people navigate tough family matters with genuine care and compassion. She has three young children and a blended family herself. Both Mary Jo and Hannah have personal experience with these timely topics.
Plan for Divorce: Your Next Chapter
Wednesday at 12 PM on VoiceAmerica Empowerment Channel
We've all seen wedding planning guides: the flowers! The cakes! The gowns! It's easy to get swept away in the romance and glamour. By contrast, no one PLANS to get divorced... it's bad manners to even suggest it! But here in the United States, we know that 50-60% of marriages end ... and the percentage is even higher for second and third marriages. Host Brooke Benson, a Certified Divorce Lending Professional, hears from divorcing clients all the time: "I don't care! Just make it end!" when in reality there should be a plan for splitting up. Especially when children are involved. Plan for Divorce provides practical, sensible information for anyone thinking of ending a personal relationship, legal marriage or not. Couples of the same sex or the opposite sex can hear suggestions from experienced professionals (not from the neighbors) to lay the groundwork for best outcomes. Take charge of the process. Protect your kids, assets, your sanity, etc. Start writing your next chapter.
Brooke Benson
Brooke Benson is a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP) with MiMortgage in Grapevine, Texas. She specializes in working with homeowners experiencing divorce. Despite a professional background in marketing, Brooke got into consumer lending in 2007 as a result of her own divorce: it allowed her the flexibility to work remotely while raising three young kids. Brooke has collaborated with family law attorneys, Certified Financial Planners, CPAs, and Realtor groups, occasionally in Spanish, her second language. Various publications have featured her writing on mortgage and other topics and she authored a column for nine years. She is the admin for a divorce support group on Facebook and serves on several non-profit boards related to social services. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Brooke graduated from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and from The University of Texas at Austin. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her adult children, reading, cooking, cycling, and goofing around in the yard. She has traveled extensively in Mexico, South America and Europe and she is writing a novel. The best client call she ever had was from a divorced mom thanking her for "keeping the kids in the only home they've ever known."