Mid-Life Divorce: Unique Challenges for Baby Boomers and Older Couples
Strategies for Marital Estate Division, Spousal Support and Retirement Distribution
Recording of a 90-minute CLE webinar with Q&A
This CLE course will prepare attorneys to handle the complex issues that arise in divorce cases at mid-life and beyond. The panel will outline strategies for structuring settlements, including marital estate division, spousal support and post-divorce distributions of retirement plan contributions and survivor benefits.
Outline
- Marital Estate Division
- Real estate
- Primary residence
- Secondary residence
- Timeshares
- Business interests
- Investment accounts
- Debts
- Real estate
- Spousal Support
- Types of spousal support
- Method of distribution or payments
- Threshold criteria for qualification and factors
- Problematic issues in mid-life divorce
- Amount and duration
- Modification
- Retirement Plans
- Employer-sponsored plans
- Available benefits not automatic
- QDROs
- Defined contribution plans
- Defined benefit plans
- Separate interest/shared interest QDROs
- Additional benefits under defined benefit plans
- Waivers
- Other types of retirement plans
- Military
- Federal
- State
- Social security benefits
- Employer-sponsored plans
Benefits
The panel will review these and other key questions:
- What unique challenges arise in divorce among older parties?
- What strategies should attorneys consider to effectively protect a baby boomer in divorce and post-divorce?
- What factors should be considered in handling assets accumulated during a long-term marriage?
Following the speaker presentations, you'll have an opportunity to get answers to your specific questions during the interactive Q&A.
Faculty

Leslie Ann Shaner
Attorney
Barnes & Diehl
She is an expert in family law and estate planning. She is a frequent speaker on divorce among baby boomers and family... | Read More
She is an expert in family law and estate planning. She is a frequent speaker on divorce among baby boomers and family law issues in elder law. She published a book in 2010 entitled "Divorce in the Golden Years."
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Paula G. Kirby
Attorney
Paula G. Kirby
Ms. Kirby is licensed in both Arizona and California. Her practice blends family law, probate, and commercial... | Read More
Ms. Kirby is licensed in both Arizona and California. Her practice blends family law, probate, and commercial litigation. Paula serves as 2010-2011 Co-Chair of the ABA Family Law Section’s Vulnerable Adults and Special Needs Families Committee. She also is the Family Law Section’s liaison to the ABA Commission on Law and Aging.
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Sarah McCormack
Partner
Kessler & Solomiany
She focuses exclusively on family law. She has been named a Super Lawyer “Rising Star” for several years.... | Read More
She focuses exclusively on family law. She has been named a Super Lawyer “Rising Star” for several years. She is a frequent speaker on family law topics and has authored several articles on family law topics. She has participated in family law appellate decisions in the State of Georgia.
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