CDLP® Certification: Become a Divorce Mortgage Planning Specialist

Advance Your Career with Specialized Divorce Mortgage Planning Skills

Build a Divorce Mortgage Planning Business

Divorce Mortgage Planning is the strategic integration of mortgage financing into the divorce process, going beyond traditional loan origination to align settlement outcomes with real-world lending standards and long term financial stability.

The Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®) certification is the standard for Divorce Mortgage Planning. CDLP® professionals meet rigorous education, training, and ethical standards, and are equipped to align mortgage, real property, and settlement outcomes in divorce.

Redefine Your Role in Mortgage—Through Divorce Mortgage Planning

Trusted by Attorneys | Legal-Aligned Strategies | Long-Term Business Growth

Divorce is a financial and legal restructuring that directly impacts real property, debt, and long-term stability. Yet, housing decisions are often made without understanding how mortgage financing determines what’s actually possible.

Traditional mortgage professionals close loans.
CDLP® professionals help ensure those loans and the housing outcomes behind them are achievable.

When you earn your CDLP® certification, you step into a recognized professional discipline supported by the Divorce Lending Association, bridging the gap between settlement terms and real-world mortgage execution.

Become a Certified Divorce Lending Professional

Download CDLP® Certification Guide

Step Into a Fully Built Divorce Mortgage Planning Platform

The CDLP® is more than a certification; it’s your entry into a fully integrated Divorce Mortgage Planning platform.

As a CDLP®, you step beyond the traditional loan officer role and into a strategic position within the divorce process, aligned with attorneys, mediators, and financial professionals to support real-world outcomes.

Through the Divorce Housing Strategy platform, consumer awareness is driven at a national level, connecting informed homeowners directly with certified professionals like you.

Equip Yourself with Specialized Strategic Tools

Divorce Mortgage Planning is built on a structured, step-by-step approach designed to bring clarity, alignment, and confidence to complex housing decisions.

As a CDLP®, you are trained to:

- Guide Strategic Client Conversations
  Help clients understand how income, support, debt, and settlement timing impact their ability to keep, refinance, or sell the home.
- Analyze True Mortgage Capacity
  Use Mortgage Capacity Mapping™ to evaluate qualification based on real lending standards—not assumptions.
- Evaluate Settlement Feasibility
  Assess whether proposed settlement terms are actually executable within underwriting guidelines.
- Align Legal and Financial Outcomes
  Ensure housing decisions are sustainable, reducing post-divorce risk and future financial strain.

This structured approach elevates your role, positioning you as a strategic advisor within the divorce process, not just a transaction facilitator.

Specialized Tools That Set You Apart

- Mortgage Capacity Mapping™
  Determine real refinance and purchase potential based on complex divorce financial scenarios.
- Divorce Housing Strategy Session™
  Lead clients through a structured housing and financial orientation early in the process.
- Strategic Alignment Framework
  Ensure settlement agreements align with current lending standards before they are finalized.

This isn’t just education — it’s infrastructure, positioning, and opportunity.

Three Ways CDLP® Professionals Build Their Divorce Practice

Divorce Mortgage Planning creates multiple opportunities for mortgage professionals to build a specialized practice within the divorce niche.

CDLP® professionals may generate revenue through commission-based transactions, fee-based consulting, or a hybrid model combining both.

Many CDLP® professionals ultimately develop a hybrid approach that combines strategic consulting with mortgage transactions.

Not Sure If You’re Ready for Divorce Mortgage Planning?

Start here.

Download the questions that reveal what most mortgage professionals miss in divorce cases, and where deals actually break down.

Most mortgage professionals think they understand divorce cases… until they see what they’ve been missing.

Download the Questions + Get Your Score

Choose Your Learning Experience

We offer two flexible ways to complete your training:

Self-Paced eLearning: Complete the 20-hour comprehensive online course on your own schedule.
Live Virtual Certification: Join interactive, instructor-led video sessions featuring real-world case studies and group discussions.

The CORE Platform for Building a Divorce Mortgage Planning Practice

CDLP® Certification establishes your expertise in Divorce Mortgage Planning.
CORE Membership provides the platform to build and scale your CDLP® practice.

Through CORE Membership, you gain access to the systems, tools, and strategic support designed to help CDLP® professionals build and expand their Divorce Mortgage Planning business.

Open CDLP® Guide for more details on CORE Membership benefits.

Active CORE Members participate fully in the Divorce Lending Association ecosystem and gain access to the Divorce Housing Strategy platform.

CORE Membership is designed for professionals committed to building a deeper, more strategic practice in Divorce Mortgage Planning.

CDLP® Certification Pricing & Registration

$2,495 One-Time Certification Fee
$497 Annual Certification Renewal
Optional CORE Membership ($229/month): Access advanced business development systems, automated marketing, and exclusive coaching platforms.

Your certification includes:

- Complete education on family law, real property, tax considerations, and mortgage planning.
- Launch and Leverage business development tools to position yourself as an industry expert.
- Monthly live coaching calls to discuss case strategy, business growth, and real-world application.
- Ongoing updates and continuing education credits.

Success Stories from CDLP® Professionals

"The CDLP® designation is the gold standard in Divorce Mortgage Planning. It literally changed the trajectory of my professional life."
— Don Moll, Florida

"The professional marketing materials make it easy to stand out and confidently communicate your value to attorneys. My only regret is that I didn’t do this sooner!"
— Audra McMahon, CDLP®

Take the Next Step in Your Career

Join mortgage professionals across the country who specialize in Divorce Mortgage Planning. Help divorcing homeowners navigate difficult housing decisions with confidence and a clear strategy.

I have been working in the divorce space since 2018 but after getting my CDLP certification at the end of 2023 I have really increased my divorce lending business. I have become involved in 2 different collaborative law groups locally and have started connecting with a couple financial neutrals and 6 attorneys are contacting me fairly regularly to work with their clients. It has been a little over 10% of my business. I’m much more comfortable talking about this niche now and in my business networking I’m leveraging this area of my business to let people know I am specialized.

Carol Zink-Mailloux, CDLP® - New Hampshire

Being affiliated with the Divorce Lending Association helps solidify my reputation in the market with quality divorce specific education, resources, and community engagement, as well as the ability to educate local attorney and financial planning partners with state approved continuing legal education. I couldn’t be more delighted!

Audra McMahon, CDLP® - Kansas City

The Divorce Lending Association’s Certified Divorce Lending certification course is an absolute game-changer. Not only does it provide comprehensive education, but the continued support from Jody, Lynn, and the entire Divorce Lending Association community is truly unparalleled. The professional marketing materials are top-notch, making it easy to stand out and confidently communicate your value to attorneys and their clients. My only regret is that I didn’t do this sooner! If you're serious about specializing in divorce mortgage planning, don’t wait another day. This course gives you the knowledge and confidence to truly make a difference.

Wendy Thompson, CDLP® - Tennessee

I have been a CDLP for about 2 years, one of the best educational programs in the mortgage industry. I always look for different niches in the industry to set myself apart. Since most of my marketing over my career has been to Financial Advisors, CPA’s and Attorneys the CDLP certification was perfect. I now leverage that education and certification to bring a new level of expertise to my referral partners. This has made a difference in my referrals. Now as I am working with divorcing clients, I am able to show their attorneys how I can be an asset to their practice. I highly recommend the CDLP certification.

Ken Venick - Maryland

I first connected with Jody and the Divorce Lending Association in 2014 after encountering several divorce-related mortgage files. Unfortunately, I found myself unable to assist at the time due to settlement agreements that didn’t align with the necessary mortgage guidelines. Over the years, I have found immense fulfillment in helping clients navigate the complexities of divorce settlements. Piecing together the divorce puzzle, especially when we can achieve a positive outcome for all parties involved, has been incredibly rewarding. Through my journey, I've come to understand that mastering the nuanced guidelines of Divorce Mortgage Planning takes time and patience. The advanced concepts and support that Jody and Team DLA provide are truly exceptional and set us apart from standard lenders. I am deeply grateful for their expertise, dedication, and the invaluable support they offer. #GratefulCDLPer

Dave Kaufman - Oregon

The Divorce Lending Association and CDLP® program has really opened doors of partnerships with not only divorce professionals like family law attorneys, but estate and elder law attorneys. Being a CDLP® has also given me the opportunity to deepen my relationship with real estate agents and financial advisors. Given the opportunity to explain how we help navigate marital settlement agreements and mortgage planning creates an admiration that I am not just another lender. As we say at the DLA, “Just because it’s a legal option, doesn’t mean it’s a lending option.