How to Find a Financial Advisor

Even though divorce is an end to your relationship, it’ can also be a new financial beginning. Now, you’re managing income, expenses, savings, and future plans on your own. It’s a major transition, with obvious emotional and legal challenges. Less obvious is the financial side, but it can be just as significant—and longer-lasting. Understanding the financial anxieties that can go with this period is crucial.

Your family lawyer in Bradley Beach will help you handle the legal details: dividing assets, negotiating support, and protecting your parental rights. But even with the best legal outcome, you’re still left with the financial decisions.

Can you afford to keep the house? How should you handle support payments? What happens to your retirement savings? That’s where a financial advisor comes in. In this post, we’ll break down how a financial advisor can help after divorce, when to start looking, what to ask, and how this professional can work alongside your legal counsel to support your financial future.

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Why You May Need a Financial Advisor After Divorce

Finalizing your divorce may resolve the legal issues, but it also opens the door to new financial questions. You’re adjusting to a single income, revising your goals, and learning how to manage assets and responsibilities you may not have handled before. This gets pretty stressful and emotional, so handling these changes can get overwhelming.

A financial advisor helps you handle these challenges. They help create a realistic monthly budget, understand how alimony or child support affects your income, and identify your financial priorities. If you’re keeping the house, they’ll help you figure out if you can sustain it long-term. If you’re starting over, they’ll work with you to rebuild savings, restore credit, and plan ahead.

The timing matters. You don’t have to wait for a finalized divorce to meet with a financial advisor. In fact, involving one during mediation or negotiations can help clarify what assets or arrangements are best for your long-term financial stability. This helps you reach a better outcome with your family lawyer in Bradley Beach for your future financial well-being.

While your divorce attorney focuses on legal fairness, a financial advisor helps translate that into a sustainable lifestyle.

How a Financial Advisor and Your Attorney Work Together

Your divorce attorney handles the legal foundation—protecting your rights, negotiating terms, and managing custody or support issues. Their goal is to reach an equitable outcome based on your situation. After making these decisions, someone needs to help you live with them. That’s the financial advisor’s job.

Let’s say your divorce settlement includes a lump-sum payment and shared custody with child support. Your lawyer makes sure it’s a fair agreement. Your financial advisor steps in to help you decide how to invest the lump sum, manage ongoing expenses, and budget for the new costs. This turns the legal strategies discussed with your family lawyer into sound financial planning.

Together, these professionals cover both sides of your divorce. Your attorney gets you through it; your advisor helps you thrive afterward. When they work together, you can move forward with structure and confidence.

What to Look for in a Post-Divorce Financial Advisor

Not all financial advisors can help you after a divorce. You want someone who’s familiar with these situations and understands the emotional and financial challenges that come with them.

Start with credentials. Look for a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA). These professionals have training specific to asset division, tax implications, and long-term planning in the context of divorce.

Ask about their experience. Have they worked with recently divorced clients? Can they help with short-term needs like budgeting and long-term goals like retirement?

Transparency matters. Fee-only advisors tend to be more objective because they don’t earn commissions on products they recommend. That means they’re paid by you, usually through a flat fee, hourly rate, or percentage of assets. Be cautious of fee-based advisors who may earn commissions on top of a fee, which could be a conflict of interest.

Also, ask if they’re open to working with your family lawyer in Bradley Beach. When your legal and financial professionals communicate, your plan is more likely to stay consistent.

Where to Start Your Search

Finding a reliable financial advisor doesn’t have to be stressful. A good first step is to ask your family lawyer for a referral. Many attorneys work with financial professionals and can recommend someone who understands the financial situations divorce entails.

You can also search through trusted directories:

NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors)
Garrett Planning Network
XY Planning Network

These organizations list fee-only advisors who meet strict standards and may offer both in-person and virtual services.

Once you’ve narrowed down your list, verify credentials through FINRA’s BrokerCheck or the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website. Check for licensing and any past complaints.

Then schedule a consultation. Most advisors offer a free initial meeting. To make the most of this meeting, prepare a brief summary of your current financial situation and a list of your key questions and concerns. Use that time to ask questions, gauge their communication style, and decide whether they feel like a good fit for your needs and personality.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring

Choosing a financial advisor is about more than credentials. It’s about finding someone you trust. During your first conversation, ask questions like:

Have you worked with clients who are recently divorced?
- Look for advisors who understand the financial shifts that come after a separation.
How do you charge for your services?
- Fee-only advisors (paid directly by you) tend to be more objective. Avoid advisors who earn sales commissions without full transparency.
What services do you offer?
- Make sure their offerings align with your needs—budgeting, retirement planning, tax strategy, and investment guidance.
How often will we meet, and how do we communicate?
- Whether you prefer quarterly meetings, monthly check-ins, or email updates, make sure their communication style matches yours.
Are you willing to coordinate with my attorney if needed?
- If your financial situation is complex, this collaboration can be a major advantage. It ensures legal outcomes established by your family lawyer in Bradley Beach.

If their answers are vague or they focus more on selling products than understanding your goals, keep looking. The right advisor will be clear, focused, and responsive.

Building a New Financial Chapter

Divorce may close one chapter, but it starts another—one where you’re in full control of your financial future. With the legal work handled by your family lawyer in Bradley Beach, your next move is to make sure your finances reflect your new reality and goals.

A good financial advisor helps you do more than manage money. They bring structure to a chaotic time, help you avoid costly mistakes, and guide you toward a future that’s stable and intentional. Whether it’s adjusting to support payments, managing a new mortgage, or planning for retirement on your own terms, having the right financial partner can make all the difference.

You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Start by talking to your attorney, reaching out to advisors, and asking the right questions. When you build the right team around you, you give yourself the tools to start fresh—with purpose, confidence, and a plan that works.