Ask a CDFA®

Kristen Shearin, JD, CDFA®
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Ask a CDFA® is a weekly podcast featuring Certified Divorce Financial Analysts answering real questions about divorce, money, taxes, retirement, mediation, and financial planning. Submit your questions for our next episode: https://zfrmz.com/Lywe5CaY8hSh7JYuqhgK NOT LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE: This information is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or tax advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal or tax advice. circumstances.

Episodes

  1. 3d ago

    Exhausted, Defensive, or Done: How Emotions Drive Divorce Money Decisions

    Is 55% of the marital estate really a win? Should you give up $75,000 just to be done? In this episode of Ask a CDFA, Kristen Shearin is joined by Monica Cervantes, MSA, BFA™, CDFA®, a financial advisor with PAX Financial Group in San Antonio, Texas. Monica combines tax-aware planning with behavioral finance to show how emotions, habits, and assumptions shape the financial choices people make during divorce. Monica answers listener questions on: Telling a reasonable compromise from an expensive decision driven by exhaustionFitting alimony into your overall financial picture, whether you pay it or receive itWhy a bigger percentage doesn’t always mean a better outcome, and why liquidity mattersUnderstanding your investments when your spouse has always managed themHow inheritance becomes emotional and complicated once it’s been commingledStarting over financially at 61 after a long marriageWhy knowing why you want the house or the pension matters as much as knowing what you wantMonica closes with the one question she thinks every divorcing person should ask: “Who am I now?” Find Monica at PAX Financial Group. For more divorce resources and a directory of CDFA® professionals, visit cdfa.com. This episode is for educational purposes only and does not provide personalized financial, legal, or tax advice.

  2. Oct 13

    Financial Infidelity: The Red Flags You Should Never Ignore | Ask a CDFA® Ep. 20

    Welcome to Ask a CDFA®! Each episode brings insightful conversations with Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® professionals and industry experts who share real-world experiences, expert strategies, and guidance on managing the financial side of divorce. Divorce is likely the biggest financial decision of your life. Ask a CDFA helps you understand how today's choices will shape your future—so you can make informed, confident decisions. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. Watch and listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Find a CDFA in your area: https://institutedfa.com/find-a-cdfa Submit your questions for our next episode: https://zfrmz.com/Lywe5CaY8hSh7JYuqhgK 📸Instagram: @InstituteDFA 📘Facebook: @InstituteDFA 🌐Website: http://InstituteDFA.com NOT LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE: This information is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or tax advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal or tax advice. You should seek the advice of a qualified attorney or tax professional for advice, support, and/or services tailored to your specific facts and circumstances. This communication does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice. IDFA and its representatives make no warranties about the information contained herein and assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the content or for any actions taken based on the information provided. IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE: To ensure compliance with the requirements of IRS Circular 230, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication or any of our materials is not intended or written to be used and cannot be used for the purpose of avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or for promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed in this communication or attachment.

  3. Sep 8

    The Essential Financial Questions to Ask Before Divorce | Ask a CDFA® Ep. 19

    Welcome to Ask a CDFA®! Each episode brings insightful conversations with Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® professionals and industry experts who share real-world experiences, expert strategies, and guidance on managing the financial side of divorce. Divorce is likely the biggest financial decision of your life. Ask a CDFA helps you understand how today's choices will shape your future—so you can make informed, confident decisions. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. Watch and listen on Apple Music or Spotify. Find a CDFA in your area: https://institutedfa.com/find-a-cdfa Submit your questions for our next episode: https://zfrmz.com/Lywe5CaY8hSh7JYuqhgK 📸Instagram: @InstituteDFA 📘Facebook: @InstituteDFA 🌐Website: InstituteDFA.com NOT LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE: This information is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or tax advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal or tax advice. You should seek the advice of a qualified attorney or tax professional for advice, support, and/or services tailored to your specific facts and circumstances. This communication does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice. IDFA and its representatives make no warranties about the information contained herein and assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the content or for any actions taken based on the information provided. IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE: To ensure compliance with the requirements of IRS Circular 230, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication or any of our materials is not intended or written to be used and cannot be used for the purpose of avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or for promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed in this communication or attachment.

  4. Aug 24

    Behind the Scenes of Divorce: What Paralegals and CDFA Professionals Really Do

    Between the attorney and the financial analyst, there's a role in every divorce case that rarely gets talked about — the paralegal holding the financial disclosures, affidavits, and asset details together behind the scenes. In this episode of CDFA Hotline, host Kristen Shearin talks with Kara Chick, family law paralegal at Hefferon Law, PLLC in Charlotte, NC, about what that work actually looks like day to day. Kara brings a distinctive combination to the table: an accounting background — financial reporting, bank reconciliations, budgeting — paired with family law paralegal experience since 2019. That dual expertise gives her a sharper eye on property division and support cases than most paralegals bring to the table. We talk about how paralegals and CDFAs actually work together on a case, where their roles overlap and where they don't, and what it means for a client to have both a financial analyst and a paralegal with financial fluency in their corner. If you're a legal or financial professional working in divorce, or you're just trying to understand who's actually doing what on your case, this episode pulls back the curtain on a role that deserves more credit than it gets. Watch now and subscribe to CDFA Hotline for more expert conversations on the financial side of divorce.

    Behind the Scenes of Divorce: What Paralegals and CDFA Professionals Really Do

  5. Aug 24

    Why You're Disappointed With Your Divorce Outcome

    You followed the process, signed the agreement, and the divorce is final — so why does the outcome still feel like a loss? In this episode of CDFA Hotline, we're joined by Jay Mota, MAFF, CVA, CFP®, CDFA®, WMCP, ChFC, CQS, founder of Divorce Logic LLC, to unpack one of the most common — and least talked about — experiences in divorce: walking away from a settlement that's technically fair but still leaves you feeling shortchanged. Jay brings 27+ years in finance and a rare depth of credentials in financial forensics, valuation, and planning to the conversation. A U.S. Marine Corps and Army National Guard veteran, he built Divorce Logic LLC on a disciplined, analytical approach to divorce cases — from asset and income tracing to cash-flow analysis and expert testimony. We talk through where the gap between expectation and outcome usually comes from: unclear goals going into negotiations, decisions driven by emotion instead of the numbers, or not knowing which questions to ask before signing off. If you've ever wondered whether you "lost" your divorce even when your attorney says you did fine — or if you work with clients navigating that same feeling — this conversation gives you the financial clarity to set realistic expectations before the ink dries. In this episode: Why a "fair" settlement can still feel like a lossHow financial forensics and asset tracing protect against blind spotsSeparating emotional decisions from the actual financial pictureWhat to ask before you sign, not afterWatch now and subscribe to CDFA Hotline for more expert conversations on the financial side of divorce.

    Why You're Disappointed With Your Divorce Outcome

  6. Aug 24

    Uncovering Hidden Assets: What a CDFA Learned From Her Own Divorce

    Before Michele Laws became a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, she was on the other side of the table — six years into a divorce where she walked away with just 18% of the marital assets, blindsided by hidden accounts her spouse never disclosed. In this episode of CDFA Hotline, host Kristen Shearin sits down with Michele, now president of Turning Point Financial Group and Divorce Dollars & Sense Corporation, to talk about what that experience taught her — and how she now helps other clients avoid the same blind spots. Michele brings a rare combination to the table: she's a CDFA, a Certified Valuation Analyst, and a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics, with a specialty in matrimonial litigation. We talk about how hidden assets actually get missed, what financial forensics work looks like in practice, and why "what you don't know can hurt you" isn't just a tagline for her — it's the reason she does this work. If you're navigating divorce, or you're a professional who advises people who are, this conversation is a reminder that a fair settlement depends entirely on having the full financial picture — and what to do when you suspect you don't. In this episode: How Michele's own contentious divorce shaped her career pivotWhat financial forensics and asset tracing actually involveCommon ways spouses hide or undervalue assetsPractical steps to protect yourself before you signWatch now and subscribe to CDFA Hotline for more expert conversations on the financial side of divorce.

    Uncovering Hidden Assets: What a CDFA Learned From Her Own Divorce

  7. Aug 24

    Hidden Assets, Financial Secrets, and Divorce Investigations with Philip Segal | Ask A CDFA Ep 18

    Divorce doesn't just divide a marriage — it can expose exactly how much a spouse has been hiding. In this episode of CDFA Hotline, we sit down with Philip Segal, founder of Charles Griffin Intelligence and one of the country's leading financial investigators, to break down how hidden assets get concealed — and how they get found. Philip walks through the real-world tactics behind asset concealment in divorce: offshore accounts, shell companies, undisclosed business interests, and the paper trails most people don't think to check. He also shares how forensic investigators build a financial picture without a subpoena, when it's time to bring in outside investigative support, and what CDFAs and attorneys should be watching for before a case goes sideways. If you work with divorcing clients, this episode gives you the red flags to catch early and the questions to ask before assets disappear. In this episode: How spouses commonly hide assets — and why it's easier than people thinkInvestigative techniques used to trace concealed wealthWhen a forensic investigator (not just a forensic accountant) is the right callPractical red flags CDFAs and attorneys can spot before litigationWatch now and subscribe to CDFA Hotline for more expert conversations on the financial side of divorce.

    Hidden Assets, Financial Secrets, and Divorce Investigations with Philip Segal | Ask A CDFA Ep 18

  8. Aug 24

    Why Divorce Advice Online Can Be Misleading - A State-by-State Financial Perspective

    A five-minute search can turn up a hundred confident answers about how divorce works — and most of them are wrong for your state. In this episode of CDFA Hotline, we bring together three Certified Divorce Financial Analysts practicing in three very different jurisdictions to show exactly why "advice" you find online can lead you badly astray. Joining us are Donna LaScala (New York), president of Comprehensive Divorce Solutions with over 20 years of experience valuing retirement accounts, personal assets, and closely held businesses in equitable distribution cases; Laurie Itkin (California), founder of The Options Lady and author of Every Woman Should Know Her Options, who has worked over 550 divorce cases with a specialty in dividing equity compensation like RSUs and stock options; and Pam Friedman (Texas), Managing Director at Robertson Stephens Wealth Management and author of Financially Fit Divorce, who brings 30+ years of financial planning experience to Texas's community property rules. Each panelist walks through how her state's laws actually treat marital assets, retirement accounts, and property division — and where the generic advice you'll find on forums and social media falls apart the moment state law gets involved. If you're navigating divorce or advising someone who is, this conversation is a reality check on why "it depends on your state" isn't a dodge — it's the whole game. In this episode: How equitable distribution (NY) differs from community property (TX)Why dividing stock options and RSUs isn't one-size-fits-allCommon online divorce myths that don't hold up state-by-stateWhat to ask a local CDFA before trusting general adviceWatch now and subscribe to CDFA Hotline for more expert conversations on the financial side of divorce.

    Why Divorce Advice Online Can Be Misleading - A State-by-State Financial Perspective
  • 8 Episodes

About

Ask a CDFA® is a weekly podcast featuring Certified Divorce Financial Analysts answering real questions about divorce, money, taxes, retirement, mediation, and financial planning. Submit your questions for our next episode: https://zfrmz.com/Lywe5CaY8hSh7JYuqhgK NOT LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE: This information is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or tax advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal or tax advice. circumstances.

Information

  • Creator
    Kristen Shearin, JD, CDFA®
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kristen Shearin, JD, CDFA®
  • Show Website
    Ask a CDFA®

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