Bedrock Divorce Advisors

To read this article directly on Forbes and/or to leave a comment, please click on this link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jefflanders/2012/10/04/divorcing-women-especially-those-in-abusive-relationships-benefit-from-learning-how-to-secure-their-financial-futures/

One in four women (25 percent) has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime, and researchers now estimate that in the U.S., more than five million women are physically abused by their husbands or boyfriends each year.

As shocking as statistics like these may be, domestic violence remains a perennial national concern because unfortunately, breaking free from an abusive relationship can be tremendously difficult. Over the years, I have been retained by several women who, at the time, were involved in physically and/or mentally abusive marriages, and so I have seen firsthand just how trapped victims of domestic abuse can feel.

Not only do they live in constant fear; abused wives also believe they are powerless. Why? Because typically, their controlling husbands are maniacally secretive about financial matters, and as a result, these women know very little about their family finances or how to establish their own financial independence.

This October, which has been designated Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I am making a personal commitment to do more to help women in abusive marriages regain control of their personal finances.

I am launching my new book, Divorce: Think Financially, Not Emotionally – What Women Need To Know About Securing Their Financial Future Before, During, And After Divorce, and I’m announcing that I will donate half of the book’s profits to the Bedrock Divorce Fund for Abused Women, Inc., a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity I recently launched to help female victims of domestic abuse and the organizations that support them.

Of course, the book, Divorce: Think Financially, Not Emotionally, is jam-packed with advice for any woman who wants to emerge from divorce with her finances intact and her financial future secure. However, this October, I think it’s appropriate to point out that these tools can be particularly empowering for women in abusive marriages.

Think about it. We all know that even under the best of circumstances, divorce is complicated and emotionally trying. But for women in abusive marriages, the process is exponentially harder and proceeding safely is absolutely essential. These women –like all divorcing women –need to empower themselves with knowledge. They need to learn how to protect their assets as they put the pieces in place for a secure financial future.

As I do here in this blog, in Divorce: Think Financially, Not Emotionally, I help women navigate difficult divorce terrain by offering practical, step-by-step advice on a wide range of topics, including how to:

• Build a top-notch divorce team
• Organize financial documents
• Protect businesses, intellectual property and personal assets
• Determine if your husband is hiding assets
• Manage pension plans, 401Ks and other retirement accounts
• Negotiate alimony
• Disinherit your husband

Already, I’ve heard from a few early reviewers who have praised the no-nonsense advice Divorce: Think Financially, Not Emotionally offers:

• ”I wholeheartedly applaud Jeff’s efforts to support women in abusive situations,” says syndicated columnist Liz Smith.
• “Divorce: Think Financially, Not Emotionally is a wonderful guide for women seeking to secure their financial future,” says renowned divorce attorney Laura A. Wasser, whose client list includes Heidi Klum, Angelina Jolie Christina Aguilera and other celebrities.
• “I wish I had this book when I was going through my divorce. It would have made the learning curve much less steep! Knowing Jeffrey’s expertise, any woman, whether going through a divorce or not, can benefit from this book,” says Sonja Morgan, star of Real Housewives of New York.

Where can you find a copy ofDivorce: Think Financially, Not Emotionally? It’s available online at Amazon.com and bedrockdivorce.com, and it can also be discreetly downloaded on Kindle and Nook.

Breaking free from an abusive marriage isn’t easy.  So, if you’re a woman who’s involved in a physically and/or mentally abusive marriage, please seek help. There are community-based organizations, private counselors and therapists and other professionals who can offer the immediate assistance you need. They can help you create a plan that will keep you and your children safe. Then, once you are safe, you can start to shore up your personal finances, so you can enter the divorce process with your sights firmly set on a secure financial future.

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All articles/blog posts are for informational purposes only, and do not constitute legal advice. If you require legal advice, retain a lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author, who is not an attorney.

For further information, please go to our website at: http://www.BedrockDivorce.com or email Jeff at: Landers@BedrockDivorce.com

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