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Your will can be perfectly written and still do almost nothing you intended. That’s the hard truth behind estate planning when beneficiary designations, joint titling, retirement accounts, and real estate deeds aren’t coordinated with your legal documents.

We sit down with CPA and certified financial analyst Jesse Hurst to connect the dots between retirement planning and estate planning in plain English, including how pop culture can make complicated money topics easier to remember. We dig into what actually drives outcomes for families: a clean asset inventory, a beneficiary audit, and teamwork between your estate planning attorney, financial advisor, and CPA. If you’ve ever assumed “the will decides,” we explain why many assets bypass probate entirely and how that can unintentionally disinherit children, skew “equal” splits, or leave a trust unfunded.

We also talk through the human side: naming executors, trustees, and health care decision-makers, then having the conversations that spare your loved ones from guessing. And because tax and retirement rules keep changing, we break down how the Secure Act and the inherited IRA 10-year rule can create a tax hit for adult kids, plus why some families explore tools like trusts and life insurance strategies to manage timing and taxes.

If you want fewer surprises and a plan that holds up in the real world, listen now, share this with someone updating their will or trust, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. After you listen, will you review the show and tell us what part of estate planning feels most confusing right now?

If you would like to speak with one of our attorneys, please call our office at (503) 227-0200, or visit our website at https://www.pacificcascadelegal.com.

To learn more about Jesse and how he can help you, you can visit his website at: https://www.impelwealth.com/

Disclaimer: Nothing in this communication is intended to provide legal advice nor does it constitute a client-attorney relationship, therefore you should not interpret the contents as such.

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Divorce can leave you holding a stack of statements and a knot in your stomach, wondering what you actually own, what it means, and whether retirement is still possible. We sit down with Jesse Hurst, a CPA and Chartered Financial Analyst, to talk through the real-world money decisions that hit right after a divorce and how to replace fear with a plan you can live with. Jesse’s twist is simple and surprisingly effective: use pop culture, music, and familiar stories to make complicated financial concepts stick, so you’re not just being “told” what to do, you understand it.

We dig into why people often feel frozen after a major loss, and how to restart with small steps: take an inventory, clarify what matters most to you, and map out the levers that actually drive outcomes. That includes cash flow planning after spousal support ends, deciding when to claim Social Security, and turning a collection of accounts like a 401(k), IRA, brokerage account, CDs, and home equity into a coordinated retirement strategy with an age-appropriate risk profile.

We also get concrete about taxes and planning traps. Jesse explains why divorce can come with cost basis headaches that don’t exist after a spouse’s death, and why filing status changes can feel like a penalty when someone becomes a widow or widower. If real estate is part of the picture, we talk about rental property cash flow, concentration risk, and when selling a non-producing property can improve liquidity and diversification.

If you’re rebuilding after divorce and want a calmer, clearer way to think about retirement planning and financial independence, hit play. Subscribe to Modern Family Matters, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find real guidance.

If you would like to speak with one of our attorneys, please call our office at (503) 227-0200, or visit our website at https://www.pacificcascadelegal.com.

To learn more about Jesse and how he can help you, you can visit his website at: https://www.impelwealth.com/

Disclaimer: Nothing in this communication is intended to provide legal advice nor does it constitute a client-attorney relationship, therefore you should not interpret the contents as such.

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Divorce can feel like stepping into a fog where every rumor sounds like fact: you will lose the house, you will be broke, the case will drag on for years, and the court will air every private detail. Steve Altishin sits down with Founding Attorney Lewis Landerholm to name the concerns people bring to an initial divorce consultation and to explain what’s real, what’s misunderstood, and what you can actually control.

We start with the fear that hits first for most families: financial security. We talk about the pressure of going from two incomes to one, funding two households, and protecting the biggest assets for many couples the family home and retirement accounts. We also dig into why negotiated settlements and mediation can create options beyond the rigid “split everything and sell the house” storyline, especially for Oregon and Washington family law cases where practical compromise can reduce disruption.

Then we get concrete about the divorce process, including timelines, legal fees, and why trial is usually the most expensive route. We address discovery and the “dirty laundry” anxiety, plus how transparency can prevent hidden asset fights that explode costs. Finally, we cover kids: whether to move out, why a temporary parenting plan matters, and how child support differs from the more subjective spousal support analysis. If you’re wrestling with the question of “should I get divorced,” we also explain where legal advice ends and where therapists and other professionals can help most.

Subscribe, share this with someone who needs clarity, and leave a review so more people can find practical guidance when it matters most. What question about divorce do you want us to answer next?

If you would like to speak with one of our attorneys, please call our office at (503) 227-0200, or visit our website at https://www.pacificcascadelegal.com.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this communication is intended to provide legal advice nor does it constitute a client-attorney relationship, therefore you should not interpret the contents as such.