Divorce finances start with a separation agreement and end somewhere much more expensive. The legal framework splits assets fairly. Fair and affordable turn out to be two different things.

The family home is where this lands hardest. One parent keeps the house for the kids’ stability, the other takes the savings. Both walk away with equal value on paper and unequal cash flow in practice, with one carrying a mortgage, property taxes, utilities, and repairs on a single income.

Everything else follows: furniture, bikes at both houses, duplicate toys and gaming systems, clothes lost in transit. The costs nobody budgets for add up faster than the ones everybody does.

Topics: divorce finances, separation agreement, house poor, family home, hidden divorce costs

GUEST: Anita Bruinsma | http://clarityonyourmoney.com

Originally aired on2026-05-25