Financial Roadmap After a Major Life Change (30-90 Days)

A structured approach to help you regain control, avoid costly mistakes, and move forward with confidence

A Quick Note Before You Begin

If you’re going through a separation or divorce, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed.

There are a lot of decisions, and many of them feel urgent.

The reality is: Most mistakes happen when decisions are made too quickly, without clarity.

This roadmap is designed to help you:

• Get organized
• Focus on what actually matters
• Make decisions at the right time, not under pressure

Phase 1: First 30 Days – Stabilize & Get Clear

Focus: Control, access, and visibility.
This phase is not about making decisions. It’s about understanding your situation clearly.

☐ Gather all key financial documents (bank accounts, investments, pensions, debts, insurance)

☐ Identify what you own individually vs. jointly

☐ Ensure access to cash (next 3–6 months)

☐ Open individual accounts if needed

☐ Review joint credit cards, loans, and liabilities

☐ List your current monthly expenses (real numbers, not estimates)

Critical Principle: Avoid major financial decisions where possible.

Phase 2: Days 30-60 – Understand & Evaluate

Focus: What’s changing and what matters most.

Once you have visibility, you can start understanding your options.

☐ Clarify your income going forward (salary, support, pensions, other sources)

☐ Identify which expenses may change or increase

☐ build a simple monthly cash flow picture

☐ Evaluate housing: Can you afford to stay, or should you consider alternatives?

☐ Understand how assets may be divided

☐ Review insurance coverage and beneficiaries

☐ Identify your top 3-5 financial decisions

Critical Principle: This is still not about rushing into decisions. It’s about understanding the implications before acting.

Phase 3: Days 60-90 – Decide & Move Forward

Your focus: Intentional, informed decisions.

Now you’re in a position to move forward, strategically, not reactively.

☐ Finalize a sustainable monthly spending plan

☐ Make a clear housing decision (if applicable)

☐ Structure your accounts and assets appropriately

☐ Align your investments with your new reality

☐ Update legal and financial documents (will, beneficiaries, powers of attorney)

☐ Build a simple plan for income and long-term security

Critical Principle: Decisions made with clarity tend to hold. Decisions made under pressure often don’t. 

Your Support Team

You don’t need to figure this out alone. The right team typically includes:

☐ A family lawyer
☐ A financial advisor/Wealth Manager
☐ An accountant (when needed)

☐ A divorce coach

☐ An estate lawyer  

Critical Principle: One step at a time. You don’t need to solve everything today. Think about what is the next step that actually moves you forward?

Final Thought

Major life transitions create uncertainty, but they also create an opportunity.

An opportunity to:

• Regain control
• Make confident, informed decisions
• Build a financial structure that actually supports your life going forward

With the right structure and pacing, you’ll not only get through this, you’ll come out stronger and clearer.

If you’re looking for a friendly, no-pressure conversation about your situation, I’d be glad to help you explore where you stand and discuss your next steps together. My goal is to make things clear and comfortable for you, just let me know how I can support you.

Ilan Zor, MBA
Wealth Advisor

Disclaimer

CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries, through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc. If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor.