21. Financial Planning for Women Post-Divorce: Research Insights and Practical Strategies with Michael Kothakota Artwork

Planning & Beyond® - Where financial planning meets human understanding

Planning & Beyond® is for financial advisors who want to go beyond the numbers and build deeper, more trusted client relationships.

Hosted by Ashley Quamme, a licensed therapist and financial behavior specialist, this podcast helps advisors better understand the psychology, emotions, and behaviors that shape client conversations.

Each episode offers practical strategies you can apply in discovery meetings, prospect conversations, difficult money discussions, and major life transition planning. Through conversations with experts in behavioral finance, financial psychology, and financial therapy, Ashley explores how advisors can strengthen communication, navigate emotional moments, build trust, and support clients with more confidence.

If you want to improve the way you connect with clients, ask better questions, and bring more empathy and clarity into your planning process, Planning & Beyond® will help you sharpen the human side of your advisory work.

Topics include:

Mastering discovery and prospect meetings
Navigating difficult money conversations
Understanding client psychology
Building trust and deepening client relationships
Managing emotional client situations
Improving advisor-client communication
Applying behavioral finance strategies
Supporting clients through life transitions

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Planning & Beyond® - Where financial planning meets human understanding

21. Financial Planning for Women Post-Divorce: Research Insights and Practical Strategies with Michael Kothakota

March 27, 2025 • Ashley Quamme

0:00 | 39:54

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In this episode, financial planning practitioner and researcher Michael Kothakota shares evidence-based approaches for supporting women through divorce financial planning. Drawing from his extensive research and practice experience at WolfBridge Wealth, Michael reveals how traditional divorce processes often fail to address individual needs. But, by advisors taking a collaborative approach better outcomes are created not only for the client, but also the advisor-client relationship. Ashley discusses with Michael his research findings on alimony, saving behaviors, and gender differences in financial decision-making post-divorce. Something that every advisor out there should be aware of. Michael provides actionable guidance for advisors working with women navigating these challenging transitions as well as best communication practices. The conversation explores how understanding the psychological dimensions (i.e. the human side) of financial behavior can help advisors create more effective planning strategies that honor both immediate concerns and long-term goals.

Key Takeaways:

Research shows distinct patterns in how men and women approach finances after divorce - women tend to prioritize emergency savings while men focus on retirement planning.
Female clients, especially those with caretaking responsibilities, often prioritize immediate needs over future planning post-divorce.
Rather than labeling client choices as "good" or "bad," effective advisors present options with their consequences non-judgmentally, preserving client autonomy while ensuring informed decisions.

Resources and Guest Information:

Take Action:

Implement a Non-Judgmental Approach: When working with clients experiencing major life transitions, present options with their consequences rather than labeling choices as "good" or "bad," allowing clients to make decisions aligned with their values without shame.
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