3 considerations your female clients should address before returning to work after divorce

For many women, the end of a marriage results in a significant change in their financial situation.

Research by Legal & General (2 April 2025) reveals that 51% of divorces involve women who were financially reliant on their husbands during their marriage. Moreover, on average, women see their income cut in half in the year following divorce, while men’s income falls by just 30% over the same period.

So, it’s perhaps unsurprising that divorce often triggers a major shift in women’s careers – the Legal & General study found that one in five women return to the workforce.

Whether driven by necessity or personal fulfilment, this transition can bring both challenges and rewards that could shape a woman’s long-term emotional and financial wellbeing.

By working together with an empathetic female financial expert, you can help your clients make informed decisions and face this next phase of their lives with confidence.

Keep reading to discover three key considerations that could help your female clients decide if returning to work after divorce is right for them.

1. Emotional readiness and confidence

Returning to work after a career break can be intimidating, and it may trigger feelings of self-doubt, especially after the emotional strain of divorce. Indeed, many women feel drained by the process and uncertain of their identity and purpose.

As such, your divorced female clients may feel anxious about stepping back into a professional environment, which might have changed considerably since they last worked outside of the home.

While financial and practical considerations are likely to be front of their minds, it’s important that women also assess their emotional readiness for going back to work.

Solicitors and financial experts are well placed to recognise when someone needs more time or support.

I can help your clients understand their income needs and plan financially for rebuilding their confidence gradually, for example, by undertaking training or starting with part-time hours.

Using cashflow modelling, I can provide a clear picture of how different scenarios might affect their finances in the short, medium, and long-term. This support allows your clients to make sustainable choices that align with their goals and post-divorce financial situation.

Read more: How cashflow modelling can help your divorcing female clients reach a financial settlement sooner

2. The cost of childcare

If your clients have dependants, the cost of childcare could heavily influence whether returning to work is financially worthwhile.

The offers all three and four-year-olds in England 570 hours of free childcare a year, which equates to 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. There may be additional support available, depending on the child’s needs and their parent’s income.

Beyond this support, childcare fees can quickly add up. According to daynurseries.co.uk (19 February 2026), part-time (25 hours a week) care for a child under two is £70.51 a week on average, rising to £238.95 for full-time care (50 hours a week). Exact costs will depend on where your clients live and the type of care their children need.

For women who have been out of the workforce for some time and therefore may not have the same earning potential as they did previously, these costs could be a significant barrier to working.

I can help your clients map out the real cost of returning to paid employment – not just nursery or childminder fees, but also wraparound care for school-aged children, work clothes, travel, and the cost of any extra support needed at home, such as cleaning. Together, we can then turn these numbers into a plan that supports their career ambitions and caring responsibilities.

3. The potential long-term financial and wellbeing benefits

Even if your clients cannot command the same salary as they once did immediately after divorce, over time, they could rebuild a financially rewarding career.

Moreover, they may have access to valuable employee benefits from day one that could boost their finances and their wellbeing, such as:

• A workplace pension
• Health cash plans
• Financial protection
• Private medical insurance
• Bonuses and profit sharing
• Loan schemes
• Counselling
• Childcare support.

As such, returning to work, even part-time, could help your clients grow their pension savings, enhance future earning power, and build financial independence. In other words, the decision your clients make now about employment could affect their financial wellbeing far into the future.

Additionally, relaunching their career could be a liberating experience that delivers a range of mental and physical wellbeing benefits, such as increased self-worth and confidence.

By taking a holistic approach to financial planning, I can provide the practical and emotional support your female clients need to feel confident and prepared for returning to work.

Get in touch

If you’d like to find out more about how we can work together to support your female divorced clients as they return to work, I’d love to hear from you.

To find out more, please get in touch by email at lottie@truefinancialdesign.co.uk or call 03300 889138.

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate cashflow planning.

A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until 55 (57 from April 2028). The fund value may fluctuate and can go down, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. 

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts. 

Workplace pensions are regulated by The Pensions Regulator.

Note that life insurance and financial protection plans typically have no cash in value at any time and cover will cease at the end of the term. If premiums stop, then cover will lapse.

Cover is subject to terms and conditions and may have exclusions. Definitions of illnesses vary from product provider and will be explained within the policy documentation.

Approved by 2plan wealth management Ltd 30/03/2026.