Why Credit Reports Directly Impact Divorce Settlements and Mortgage Options
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on December 19, 2025 at 2:13 pm by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
What Is Actually Reporting on Your Client’s Credit Report—and Why It Matters Before January Filings Begin! A client’s credit report is the document mortgage underwriters rely on to evaluate risk. Over the past several weeks, we have examined two of ….
Authorized Users vs. Joint Obligations: Credit Details That Every Family Law Attorney Should Know
Credit | Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on November 21, 2025 at 7:47 pm by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Not All Credit Accounts Are Created Equal — Here’s What Attorneys Must Know! When it comes to divorce and credit reporting, not all debts are created equal. Understanding the difference between an authorized user account and a joint obligation can ….
Can a Divorcing Homeowner Close in an LLC? Understanding Business Purpose Loans in Florida
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on November 7, 2025 at 3:44 am by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Florida Divorce Mortgage Planning and Business Purpose Loans: What Family Law Attorneys Should Know In my recent post on Alternative Income and Divorce Mortgage Planning in Florida, we discussed how self-employed clients may not always qualify under traditional mortgage documentation ….
Alternative Income and Divorce Mortgage Planning in Florida | What Family Law Attorneys Should Know
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on October 17, 2025 at 2:29 am by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
When Traditional Income Sources Won’t Qualify—What Alternative Documentation Options Exist? Not every self-employed borrower will qualify under traditional mortgage guidelines. When conventional or government financing isn’t an option, non-traditional documentation methods such as bank statements, asset depletion, and other alternative ….
Grossing Up Non-Taxable Income: Key Calculations for Family Law Attorneys
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on September 19, 2025 at 2:33 am by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Why Not All Divorce Income Is Created Equal! Whether your divorcing client is refinancing with an equity buyout or purchasing a new residence, “grossing up” non-taxable income can make the difference between a loan approval or denial. For today’s topic, ….
How Does Alimony and Child Support Impact Divorce Mortgage Planning?
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on September 5, 2025 at 8:09 am by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
How Does Alimony and Child Support Impact Mortgage Qualifying in Florida? Whether you are trying to complete a refinance after divorce, or qualify to purchase your next home— alimony and child support can affect mortgage qualifying in either a positive ….
Divorce Debt: Hidden Mortgage Risks Every Family Law Attorney Must Watch
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on August 22, 2025 at 6:07 am by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Court-ordered debt after divorce can create hidden mortgage risks that many clients—and even some attorneys—don’t see coming. Joint obligations, authorized user accounts, contingent liabilities, and unclear settlement language, often linger long after the divorce decree is finalized, putting your clients’ ….
Equity Buyout Divorce Refinance: What Family Law Attorneys Need to Know!
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on July 25, 2025 at 6:36 pm by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Florida Divorce Refinance: How an Equity Buyout Maximizes Settlement Funds. In our recent post, we explored essential divorce refinance strategies and how loan-to-value (LTV) limits can directly impact the equity available for funding settlement agreements. In today’s short video, I’ll ….
Why Florida Family Law Attorneys Rely on a CDLP® for Divorce Mortgage Planning Support
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on June 27, 2025 at 10:10 am by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
When real property, equity buyouts, or mortgage qualification come into play during divorce, the wrong lending advice can derail even the best-structured settlement. That’s where a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®) becomes a critical part of your divorce team. In ….
What is Divorce Mortgage Planning in Florida?
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on June 12, 2025 at 12:06 pm by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Why is Divorce Mortgage Planning Necessary in Florida? Have you ever wondered about the role that mortgage planning plays in divorce? As you can imagine, this is one of the most common questions that we receive. Divorce mortgage planning is ….
Part 2-Equity Buyout- Divorce Refinance Requirements
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on May 30, 2025 at 8:46 am by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Divorce Refinance: Equity Buyout Requirements Considering an equity buyout during your divorce? Understanding your options is essential. In the first part of our equity buyout series, we covered the fundamentals of how equity buyouts work and the advantages they offer ….
Part 1-How to Navigate a Divorce Refinance with an Equity Buyout: A Step-by-Step Guide
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on May 2, 2025 at 10:49 am by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
What is an Equity Buyout and How Does It Help Your Divorce Refinance in Florida? Recently, we discussed the importance of divorce mortgage planning, refinance options, and the importance of the loan-to-value ratio. In today’s post, I will explain what ….
Debt After Divorce in Florida: What are Mortgage Debt to Income Ratios?
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on March 8, 2025 at 2:07 pm by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Part 3: Debt After Divorce in Florida – What are Mortgage Debt to Income Ratios? In our previous posts, we explored Joint Debt Management (Part 1) and Court-Ordered Assignment of Debt (Part 2). Now, in Part 3, we shift our ….
Debt After Divorce in Florida – How Does Court-Ordered Assignment of Debt Affect Mortgage Qualifying?
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on February 22, 2025 at 11:01 pm by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Part 2: Debt After Divorce in Florida – How Does Court-Ordered Assignment of Debt Affect Mortgage Qualifying? Divorce can have significant financial consequences, especially concerning mortgage eligibility. Previously, we discussed Debt After Divorce: The Basics (Part 1), highlighting insights into ….
Debt After Divorce in Florida: Understanding the Basics
Divorce mortgage planning | Latest | Posted on February 8, 2025 at 6:21 pm by Sean A. Stephens, Esq., CMB®, CDLP®
Part 1: Debt After Divorce in Florida – Understanding the Basics Recently, we covered Equity Buyouts. Now, we are shifting focus to managing debt after divorce. This is Part 1 of a new three-part series aimed at helping you protect ….
