Best Practice when Husband Wife Constituent Divorces

Potique Johnson

We do not have separate donor records for the spouse of a constituent.

So, both the husband and wife are on one record. The only time that two records exist is when one spouse dies. We then ensure that all gifts originally recorded on the husband's record are noted as soft credits on the wife's record.

What we are unsure about is the best practices for when a husband and spouse divorce.

To make things even more complicated they sometimes remarry.

Any thoughts on how you handle this situation when you only have 1 record to begin with, would be appreciated.

Thanks

Dariel Dixon

@Potique Johnson I think you need to only create a record when a relationship changes. In the case of a divorce, you have to ask if we need to create a record for the former spouse at all. In this case, I would only do so if and when they choose to engage with the organization. If the relationship with the organization was defined by the primary HOH constituent, there may not be a need to create a new constituent.

The only thing that needs to happen is that whatever way you decide you document that decision and where there may be variations.

Christine Robertson

@Potique Johnson I think with a divorce it really depends upon your relationship with each member of the former couple. If they both are connected to your organization, then they should both be constituents. If only one was connected, then I would uncheck the spouse box and change the relationship to former spouse.