Long Term Rental.Please feel free to reach out in my dms - I'll need property address along with your debt / equity/ monthly payment information!

Your taxes are none of the ex wife's business and this would seem to address your concerns.I would also put her on notice that future requests for financial discovery will be two-way and if a discrepancy is seen in the other direction you will seek support from her.

I don't anticipate things to be that bad this time, but the value dropped over 25% back then and we are unsustainable at the point of the affordability cycle we are at now.You basically will be buying a monthly debt, speculating the value of the property is eventually going to go higher than you bought it for.

Clear financial separation ensures all rental expenses are deductible, maintains legal protections, and simplifies tax compliance.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

Two, you'll have a much easier time obtaining a mortgage product if you have a track record of W2 income.In the meantime, continue implementing the strategies you mentioned: save religiously, build your credit, pay any existing debt owed, etc.

Don't limit your future financial freedom to just where you live today.

Also any tips for automating this as much as possible and how to protect the property financially and property management would be appreciated.I ALMOST understand the rental arbitrage strategy if building a company scaling with say 30 + units and looking for high short term cash flow.  

House gets foreclosed on when a borrower is not paying its debt obligations - typically its mortgage.buying foreclosures is not for the faint of heart as you have no idea of the interior of these properties lastly while it can be beneficial also realize if there are a lot in an area those homes are the new comps when trying to sell so it lowers home values in an area 

I know that the general guidance is that emergency funds aren't to be invested, but given our financial security and the fact that we already have a personal e-fund in a safe, non-volatile location, would it still be crazy/unwise to invest this 15k in an S&P500 index fund in a brokerage? 

Buy and holding is the best way to building financial freedom.