my mom is a divorce lawyer. most divorces r pretty awful. i didnt read all of this but your mom maybe waiting to see the final outcome of the divorce. whatever income she is taking in now will affect the settlement. so if she got another job it would influence decisions. also there r assets, insurances, property that has to be considered. no one thinks rationally during a divorce from what ive seen with my mom's clients. hopefully your dad can help her out in the transition till things r settled, then she can start bringing in other forms of income. as far as u helping her financially, help her when u can and tell her when u cant. its unreasonable for her to expect u to carry her. she knows its her responsibility to support herself. women do take the biggest hit financially in a divorce. blaming and finger pointing just goes no where. she isnt ready to deal with all that is coming her way. when she vents that is what it is. women do that, talk things out, they dont really expect an answer. she is a professional woman. she will be able to find income sources. she may very well be in a pinch right now and as far as income goes, the more u make the more u spend. so neither parent maybe able to support themselves.