Hey, YMB listeners, it's Pierre Bienname, and today we're sharing a special episode of What's News Sunday, our weekly show where we dive deep into the big questions behind the headlines.

This week, the team explores the cost of divorce, part of an ongoing WSJ series you can find right now on WSJ.com.

We'll hear from a certified divorce financial analyst on why the best thing you can do for your marriage might actually be planning for its end.

If you enjoy the episode, be sure to follow what's news wherever you get your podcasts.

Going into a marriage is the biggest financial decision that you will make in your life, and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

Because you put years of blood, sweat, and tears into this relationship, and it can financially decimate you.

And so you need to plan for that.

That was Kristen Sheeran, the director of the Institute for Divorce Financial Analyst.

Yes, that's the real job. And no, she wasn't exaggerating. Certified divorce financial analysts

or CDFA's like Kristen are the people brought into untangle finances when a marriage ends.

They figure out what everything's worth, what gets split, and what those decisions mean years down

the line.

Occasionally, they also have to track down assets that spouses forgot to disclose.

So let's get into it.

Kristen, I do have some personal news since we last connected.

I actually got engaged last weekend.

Congratulations. Thank you so much. And I thought about you over that weekend because I remember you telling me that you believe that it's really important to plan for a divorce, maybe even before you start planning your wedding. Why should I listen to you?

And how do I know that that's good advice and not just a sales pitch? As you enter into a marriage,

I think that it's somewhat negligent to not also plan for the unfortunate event if that marriage goes

wrong. The statistics tell us that at least 40% of first

marriages are going to end in divorce. The statistics tell us that 60% of second marriages are going

to end in divorce. And you need to protect your financial future. Divorce is one of the most

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