1. Ann Zuraw Answers Your Questions

2. Financial planning is a lifelong process, designed to address your long-term
needs. Our responsibility as your financial planner and partner is to:
 Develop a thorough understanding of your present situation
 Identify your financial and personal goals
 Help you identify any obstacles to achieving your financial independence
 Design a plan that will include recommendations and alternative solutions to help meet your
goals
 Assist in implementing the plan or coordinating with knowledgeable professionals
 Periodic review of the plan to make sure your goals are being achieved
 Let Ann Zuraw help you
 Contact: Ann Benjamin Zuraw, CFP®, CFA®,CDFA ™
 Phone: 336.510.1329
 Toll Free: 888.613.3310
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3. BEFORE you tell the world you are getting divorced who should you ask for help?
Some suggestions:
 Lawyer – Interview before hiring
 Therapist – the emotional turmoil is going to happen – get help
 Financial planner/advisor- Let Ann Zuraw help you look at your entire financial picture.
 Your own personal close friends—the select few you can trust to keep your conversations
confidential until you are ready to go public with your final decision.
 Your parents – Keep in mind there is too much emotional baggage for them to look at the
situation impartially.
 Your kids – you must avoid putting them in the middle of your marriage problems. Until you
reach your final decision, they shouldn’t be part of this conversation.
 Friends you both have as a couple – Be careful
Ask AZ 3
See Blog Post for more detail: B is for Before

4.  How do you tell if Your ex is a Bad Apple? Are you treated with honesty, integrity of
intent, fairness, respect or just the opposite?
 A Bad Apple can spoil everything else in the bowl so it needs to be removed ASAP. If you feel
that you are in a marriage with a Bad Apple, it is probably time to move on.
 Chances are if you have reached the point of divorce, you were not treated well during the
marriage—so you can’t expect ending to be any better. Having a Lawyer represent you is
important but it is not going to change the behavioral traits of a Bad Apple.
 How do you handle the Bad Apple?
 Get a third party such as a mediator, financial planner or a therapist. It needs to be someone
that will ―hear‖ you and can get through to your ex without consequences to your own well-
being.
Ask AZ
See Blog Post for more detail: How to handle the bad apple 4

5.  How do you deal with the Bad Apple?
 Keep your distance.
 Separate the financial aspects from the kids. Keep good financial records and hire somebody
to be in the middle to interface with your ex.
 Try corresponding by email which can eliminate meeting in person or speaking directly on
the phone. But remember, emails can be misinterpreted so be very careful how you word
things.
 Most importantly…protect yourself. Bad Apples like power and control—even though you are
in the process of divorce or are already divorced—remember that usually once a Bad Apple,
always a Bad Apple.
 As difficult as it will be, try to take the emotion out of the relationship.
 See Blog Post for more detail: Dealing with an ex who is a bad apple Ask AZ
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6. Ask yourself how are you really functioning?
Even though it may feel like you are in a Dark Tunnel…remember there
that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Take a look at your work, personal life and health. Any changes needed?
 Try not to let yourself get overwhelmed. Write things down…it will help.
 Prioritize what you need to accomplish so you can focus and determine the specific help you
need.
 Try doing only one thing at a time.
 Set aside one day a week to work on divorce matters. Call it your Divorce Work Day.
 Remember, the only deadline for your divorce is the one that YOU set.
 You can’t take care of everyone and everything else unless you take care of yourself. Remember
to breath and take care of YOU.
 Repeat to yourself…I can only CONTROL what I have control over.
See Blog Post for more detail: C is for CONTROL what you can. Ask AZ
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7.  Immediately set goals for yourself. Take a deep breath and begin to decide what
tasks you need to accomplish and what time frame is needed to achieve them. You will
feel much more in control once you have a plan and begin checking things off of your
list.
 Again, take a deep breath and think about what is happening around you and
what would make you feel better. Are your kids having a hard time in school? Are
you so depressed that you are having a hard time functioning? Do you need to put the
house on the market? If so, do you need to clear out all of the clutter?
See Blog Post for more detail: G is for setting GOALS Ask AZ

8.  My Mom always said to me: ―Where there is a will, there is a way.‖ My way
would be to try and operate on two levels. One level would be for those tasks that require
your immediate attention as they rear their ugly heads up at you. The other level would be one
that allows you to slowly work towards reaching your goals with well thought out actions
not reactions.
 To help you handle the different levels, think about your support system.
This situation has probably gone beyond the capability of your normal support structure i.e.
friends and family. Commit to a plan of action to get whatever help you need. But what you do
need is to have a goal of what you want to achieve and then figure out what help you need to
achieve it.
See Blog Post for more detail: G is for setting GOALS Ask AZ
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9. General questions that you should ask at your initial meeting:
 What is your hourly billing fee?
 Do you charge a retainer ? If yes, what is the cost?
 Can you estimate an average cost for me based on your experience with cases similar to mine?
 How many divorce cases have you handled?
 How many cases were you able to settle without going to trial?
 How many of the divorce cases included child custody, support, sizeable financial
settlements, property distributions, personal businesses and valuation, etc.
 Do you actually have time to take on a new case and how long before it can be finalized?
 Divorce is never easy, but being prepared will help you feel more in control of your future
Ask AZ
See Blog Post for more detail: How to Interview a Divorce Lawyer 9

10.  Personal information about your divorce is exactly that…personal and should not be out there for the
world to see. I hear all the time about how careful people think they are being with the information they post
on their Facebook page. Even if you have set your privacy setting to Friends Only, there is a chance that
somewhere along the line you have friended someone that you barely know or perhaps never even met. Do you
really want to share this kind of information with them?
 Stop and think about how many “friends” you have on Facebook and whether you believe they all have
your best interest at heart? Do you have over 25, 100, 500, 1,000? Whatever your magic number is, are
these really your true friends that you want to know the most intimate details of your life?
 Your divorce is between you and your spouse. There is NO need to expose yourself, him or your family
publicly with any of your reasons or disagreements behind the divorce. Anything that you write can be a
source of information and possibly used against you during the divorce. Also, potential employers, credit
companies and insurance companies can and do look at social media sites.
 As difficult as it will be, try to take the emotion out of the relationship. Treat your ex you would a neighbor or
somebody you are in business with.
See Blog Post for more detail: N is for NO posting personal information on social media AZ
Ask
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11. AZ asks: What is Collaborative Practice?
 The International Association of Collaborative Practitioners (IACP) describes Collaborative Practice
as ―a new way for divorcing couples to work as a team with trained professionals to resolve disputes
respectfully without going to court. Each client has the protection and guidance of his or her own
(collaboratively trained) lawyer.‖
 The core elements that distinguish the collaborative practice from the traditional litigation model are
set out in a written contractual agreement which is signed by the participants. Those elements include
agreement to:
 1. Negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement without going to court.
 2. Withdrawal of all involved professionals, including attorneys, if either party decides to go to Court.
 3. Communicate openly and share information in good faith; with total transparency
regarding information relevant to their case.
 4. Take into account the interests and priorities of both parties in creating shared solutions.
Ask AZ
See Blog Post for more Detail: What is Collaborative divorce? 11

12. AZ asks: What are the advantages of a collaborative divorce?
 Collaborative practice is client centered, client controlled and focuses on the interests and concerns
of the individuals involved. Instead of allowing a judge to determine the outcome of a conflict, the
parties make their own decisions. The collaborative approach enables couples to negotiate their
own agreements, face to face in a supportive, safe and problem solving environment.
 Another major benefit is this process enables couples to develop and maintain respectful and civil
relationships. Litigation causes anger, distrust and hostility. Relationships rarely recover following
a litigated case. This can be especially harmful when children are involved. Also, an additional
benefit is that generally collaborative cases are far more cost effective.
AZ asks: Can one lawyer represent both of parties in a collaborative divorce?
 No. Each party needs to hire a collaboratively trained lawyer who is committed to assisting parties
to resolve their own cases with the advice and support of appropriate experts when needed.
Ann Zuraw and Marily Cahoon are both member of the IACP, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.
Marilyn Cahoon is not affiliated with nor endorsed by LPL Financial. Ann Zuraw and LPL financial offer financial
planning services for collaborative divorces.
Securities and financial planning offered through LPL Financial, A registered Investment Advisor-Member
FINRA/SIPC
See Blog Post for more detail: What is Collaborative Divorce?
Ask AZ
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13.  Steps for Comprehensive Financial Planning and/or Investment Management
 Are you interested in planning your financial future with Compass Financial Partners, LLC? For
clients who are in need of Comprehensive Financial Planning or Investment Management services, we
engage in the following process:
1. You can reach Ann Zuraw, CFP®,CFA®,CDFA ® at 336-510-1329 or email. We can have an
initial half hour free consultation to discuss your financial needs and goals to see if we are a
good fit for each other.
2. If we mutually decide that we can help you in your journey, we will set up a in-person or
go-to meeting conference call to begin the financial planning process.
3. We ask you to fill out our Financial Questionnaires and gather needed documents. This
information helps us get a sense of your complete financial picture and develop an effective
plan for you.
4. We deliver a financial plan and investment policy statement that is tailored to your specific
needs. We help you implement the recommended action steps and continue to work
together to address your ongoing needs and changing circumstances.
Facebook: Ann Zuraw Blog: www.womenmoneyanddivorce.com
Twitter: @AZanswers Compass Financial Partners LLC: www.compassfp.com
Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial. A registered
Ask AZ
investment advisor. Member FINRA & SIPC. 13

14.  Set goals
 Make a plan – what tasks do you need to accomplish and what time frame do you need to achieve them
 Giving up is not allowed – it is a bad option
 Dealing with a Bad Apple
 Hire a third party – someone who can get through to your spouse
 Try to take the emotion out –this is a business deal
 Interviewing a divorce lawyer
 Create a list of important questions to ask
 Fee structure
 Do not post personal information
 Be careful of how you use your social networking sites
 It is your PERSONAL information
 Consider Collaborative Divorce
 Couples work with a team of trained professionals to resolve disputes respectfully without going to
court
 Client centered, controlled, and focuses on interests and concerns of the individuals involved
Ask AZ
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