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Hofheimer/Ferrebee P.C. - (757) 425-5200

Hofheimer/Ferrebee P.C.

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OFFICE LOCATIONS

  • Virginia Beach
  • 1060 Laskin Road Suite 12B
    Virginia Beach, VA 23451
  • Phone: (757) 425-5200
  • Fax: (757) 425-6100
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  • Newport News
  • 11815 Fountain Way
    Newport News, VA 23606
  • Phone: 757-425-5200
  • Fax: 757-425-6100
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  • Chesapeake
  • 638 Independence Parkway, Suite 240
    Chesapeake, VA 23320
  • Phone: (757) 425-5200
  • Fax: (757) 425-6100
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Asserting Your Financial Independence After a Virginia Divorce

Charles Hofheimer, Attorney
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A tough, no nonsense divorce and custody lawyer for women only who reside in Virginia Beach and Newport News.
When you are going through a Virginia divorce, there are many issues that you will find yourself faced with. One of these issues is financial independence. Finances are a topic that is often shared in a marriage. Sometimes, financial decisions are made almost entirely by one person.

If you are going through a Virginia divorce where your husband dictated the finances-chose investments, determined the household budget or paid the bills-you might feel overwhelmed by the feeling that you have to take all of that on yourself. You might even consider continuing to let your ex-husband manage your investments or give you advice on how and where to spend your money.

Asserting Your Financial Independence is Paramount After Divorce

Even if you are on good terms with your ex-husband, try to assert your own financial independence after your Virginia divorce
. True, your husband may have years of experience with the family finances. He might even work in the financial sector and have a vast sum of knowledge on the subject. Regardless of this reasoning, it is important to become financially knowledgeable on your own.

Here are a few ideas of ways you can become financially independent after a Virginia divorce
:
  • Find an independent financial advisor - Ask a friend of family member to recommend an independent financial advisor that you can work with for your investments and retirement plans. It is a good idea to find an advisor who is not affiliated with one particular bank or fund so that you know you are getting un-biased advice. Financial advisors are usually paid in an hourly rate or by taking a small percentage of your investment.
  • Review past statements - despite your Virginia divorce, you should have access to all of your past financial statements from banks, retirement accounts and investments. Review the statements yourself to see how the accounts are performing. This basic overview will help you to become familiar with the paperwork, and perhaps after a bit of analysis you will find patterns and develop questions about the account(s). Take those questions to a financial advisor or to the client/customer service person on your account.
  • Practice - The best way to learn how to invest after a Virginia divorce is to do it yourself. There are many services, such as E*TRADE, that are consumer friendly and will allow you to open an account with a minimum balance. Take an amount that you are comfortable "playing with" and give it a try.

If you're still going through your Virginia divorce, perhaps one of the most important things you can do to protect your financial future is to hire a Virginia divorce attorney to handle your case. A Virginia divorce attorney can represent you in areas such as spousal support, child support and division of property to help you steer towards a positive start to your new life.

Contacting a Virginia Divorce Attorney

The decision to file for divorce usually comes at the end of a long and painful journey. In addition to the emotional turmoil involved, there's also a lot of fear and uncertainty about what the future holds. Concerns about children, mortgages and even just paying the bills or buying groceries can easily become overwhelming.

A Virginia divorce attorney at Hofheimer/Ferrebee can examine the specifics of your case to help you decide how much support to ask for, what child custody arrangement will work best for you and your children, and how to fairly divide your marital assets. Request a FREE copy of our guide, What Every Virginia Woman Should Know About Divorce, or reserve your seat at our monthly divorce seminar - 757-425-5200.



Woman filing for divorce in VirginiaWhat Every Virginia Woman Should Know About Divorce is full of thoughtful steps and practical tips that will help you during your separation, divorce, or child custody case including:

-- 20 guidelines for "separation under the same roof"

-- 13 critical factors used to determine spousal support

-- 3 types of property classification recognized by Virginia courts

-- 10 factors your judge must consider in a contested custody case

-- a formula to determine your percentage share of his retirement benefits

-- 38 Financial Records you should be aware of

-- 20 steps to prepare for divorce

-- 7 stages of divorce

-- 40 age-appropriate books about divorce for children

Get Your FREE Copy Today!





 
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