What My 20-Minute Divorce Mortgage Planning Consultation Covers (And What It Doesn’t)
When you’re navigating a divorce, one of the biggest and most emotional questions is:
“What happens to the home?”
Most people don’t know how to “do” divorce — and why would they? For many, this is the first time they’ve ever been through it. For others, it’s been years or even decades, and the laws, lending guidelines, and financial rules have changed dramatically. You’re not expected to know how all of this works… but that’s exactly why getting early clarity matters.
Before you make decisions, sign agreements, or negotiate financial terms, it’s important to understand whether you actually need divorce mortgage planning support — and what level of help your situation calls for. That’s exactly why I offer a paid 20-minute consultation.
This short meeting is not where I run income calculations, determine qualification, prepare loan scenarios, or perform the detailed analysis that happens once you engage me for full divorce mortgage planning.
Instead, this consultation has a very specific purpose:
1. To Determine Whether You Need a Divorce Mortgage Planner at All
Not every divorce needs mortgage-related expertise — and I’m very upfront about that.
If your situation is straightforward, if there is no real property involved, or if the numbers are simple enough that lending guidelines aren’t going to interfere with your agreements, I’ll tell you that. I’m not interested in taking on a case unless my involvement will genuinely impact your financial future and ability to remain in homeownership post-decree.
During the consult, we’ll talk through the key factors that help us determine this, including:
- Whether the marital home is being kept, sold, or transferred
- Whether either party needs to assume or refinance the current mortgage
- Whether support (paid or received) will impact qualification
- Whether the decree will require very specific language to avoid future problems
- Whether your “simple” situation might actually be more complex than it appears
This alone is often a huge relief for clients — simply knowing whether your case is uncomplicated or requires more guidance is powerful.
2. To Help You Understand What’s Possible With the Current Mortgage
One of the most common questions I answer in a consult is:
“Can I assume the existing mortgage?”
In 20 minutes, I can usually help you understand:
- Whether assumptions are allowed on your type of loan
- The right questions to ask the servicer about assuming the loan on the marital home
- What qualifications may be required
- What information you should gather right now
- Understanding if an assumption is worth pursuing or unrealistic
- Share necessary resources to help you through the process
You won’t leave with a full analysis or approval — that’s not the purpose of this meeting —
but you will leave with clarity, direction, and answers to some of the biggest unknowns you’ve been wrestling with.
3. To Identify Whether Your Situation Is “Simple” or “Complex”
This is the heart of the consultation.
Most people don’t realize their situation is complicated until they’re already deep in the divorce process — or worse, after the decree is finalized and the terms don’t work with lending guidelines.
During our conversation, we pinpoint the complexity by looking at factors like:
- Timing: When support begins/ends and whether it aligns with lending rules
- Asset division and Debt responsibility: Who is paying what, and how that impacts ratios, whether certain assets can be restructured to support qualification
- Current and future Employment/Income for the purpose of mortgage eligibility
- Buy-out structures: Whether your plan meets guideline requirements or if you need to restructure to meet guideline requirements
- Future homeownership goals: Keeping vs. selling and buying a new home
- Required decree language: Whether your agreements will need precise wording to avoid costly post-decree modifications
The goal is to understand how much structure, strategy, and legal-lending alignment your case requires.
4. To Give You Direction on Next Steps and Resources
Not every client needs full divorce mortgage planning.
But every client does need to understand what to do next.
Depending on your situation, I may guide you toward:
- Full divorce mortgage planning
- Limited lending guidance
- Basic resources for assumptions or home sale prep
- Recommendations for legal support, including full representation or limited scope
- Information that helps you ask the right questions with your mortgage servicer, attorney or mediator
Different income levels and different circumstances call for different levels of support — and knowing where to start can save time, money, and stress.
5. What the Consultation Does Not Cover
To set expectations clearly:
During this 20-minute appointment, I do not:
- Run full income or support calculations
- Determine exact qualification for a mortgage
- Provide loan scenarios
- Review full financial documents
- Analyze every detail of a settlement draft
- Tell you definitively whether you can keep or buy a home
Those steps require full engagement and access to documents, numbers, and the legal framework of your case.
In 20 minutes, I can determine a lot and point you in the right direction — but I can’t give you definitive solutions. For that, I need real documentation and the time to work through the numbers properly.
The consultation is designed to assess fit, identify complexity, and help you determine whether you need my ongoing support during the divorce process.
Why This Matters
Divorce is one of the only times in life where your legal, financial, and mortgage worlds all collide. If they aren’t aligned, the outcome can be painful — including:
- Failed assumptions
- Inability to refinance
- Post-decree modifications
- Loss of homeownership
- Delayed settlements
- Agreements that cannot be executed
- Financial strain that could have been avoided
Starting early gives you more options, more clarity, and fewer expensive surprises down the road.
Ready to Find Out Whether You Need Divorce Mortgage Planning?
A short conversation can bring clarity and direction — before costly mistakes are made.
📅 Book a 20-minute consultation on my website:
MyDivorceMortgagePlanning.com