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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.

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Retirement planning can feel like a wall of jargon and spreadsheets, so we brought in someone who makes the numbers feel human. CPA and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst Jesse Hurst joins us to break down how to start retirement financial planning at any age and why the first step is not picking investments. It is getting honest about where you are today, then turning “someday I want to retire” into real retirement goals you can measure.

We get practical about the questions that trip people up: how much should you put into a 401(k), why an employer match matters, and why starting at 22 versus waiting until 32 can completely change the outcome even if you save the same way. Jesse shares a simple strategy for increasing contributions over time so you still feel your raises, while your retirement savings rate quietly grows. We also talk about the gap in financial literacy for younger adults, and why many traditional wealth management firms ignore people who are still building, even when they have strong income and big decisions like buying a first home, choosing benefits, setting up insurance, or handling 401(k) rollovers after job changes.

Then we move into the part nobody warns you about: the emotional switch from saving to spending. Many retirees have done everything “right” and still feel like they are not allowed to use their money. Jesse explains how a retirement income plan can create permission to spend, and how to prepare for market volatility with a liquidity strategy that helps you avoid selling at the worst possible time. If scary headlines make you want to change your plan, this conversation will help you trade anxiety for a process.

If you find this helpful, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a clearer retirement plan, and leave us a review so more families can find the show.

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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Your business is not “just an asset.” For a lot of owners, it’s years of risk, late nights, pride, and a sense of security for the future. That’s why business ownership in an Oregon divorce can turn into one of the most intense parts of the entire case, and why the wrong assumption early on can cost you later.

We sit down with Lewis Landerholm to map out what actually needs to be answered when a company is on the table: Is it marital property or is there a credible separate property claim tied to premarital value or limited marital contribution? What happens when a spouse works in the business and gets underpaid? How do you handle the very real “double dipping” problem where the business is valued for property division and the business income is still used in spousal support?

Then we get practical about business valuation. Different industries require different expertise, and expert opinions can land far apart, sometimes by hundreds of thousands of dollars. We also dig into the messy edge cases that show up in real life: OLCC and other regulated licenses, cannabis-related complications, intellectual property like copyrights, and whether an asset can even be transferred the way people assume. Finally, we talk about entity structure, bylaws, partners, enforcement language in the judgment, and why mediation often gives business owners the time and flexibility that court can’t.

If you’re facing divorce with a business involved, subscribe for more straight answers, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more Oregon families can find the 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.

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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Five assets keep showing up when divorcing couples hit a wall, and the reason is almost never just emotion. It is value. I sit down with founding attorney Lewis Landerholm to unpack why retirement accounts, the marital home, business interests, investment portfolios, and valuable personal property become the flashpoints in divorce and family law cases, especially when each asset carries different tax rules, different volatility, and different paperwork.

We get practical about the hidden math: why pre tax 401(k) dollars are not the same as cash, when pensions require an actuary, and how premarital versus marital components can change the division. Then we move to the marital home, where the deed is often easy but the mortgage can be the real obstacle, particularly when a refinance means higher interest rates and a smaller buying power for the spouse who keeps the property. We also explain why judges tend to choose the simplest clean break if a plan is not realistic, and why vague terms in a divorce decree can lead to expensive enforcement fights years later.

From there we dig into business valuation, including why picking the right valuation expert matters, what happens when both spouses work in the business, and how buyouts can collide with future cash flow and support issues. We also cover investment accounts, RSUs and stock gains, cost basis, and the tax surprises that can dwarf the “headline” account value. Finally, we talk about appraisals for cars, jewelry, art, and even bitcoin, where volatility makes timing and documentation critical.

If you found this helpful, subscribe for more real world divorce guidance, share this with someone sorting out a separation, and leave a review so more families can find clear answers.

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.

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A “high-value asset” is not the same thing as a “high-value check,” and that gap can wreck a divorce settlement. We sit down with Professor Kelly Lise Murray, a wealth dispute resolution educator and real estate collaboration divorce specialist, to unpack the assets that look impressive on a spreadsheet but become brutally complicated the moment you try to divide or sell them.

We talk through the real-world mechanics of divorce asset division when the property is unusual: art collections that have an insured value but no practical resale market, wine collections that can literally disappear bottle by bottle, firearms that raise eligibility and safety questions, and timeshares that can act like a negative asset once annual fees are considered. Along the way, we highlight why judges decide cases based on admissible evidence, why “only one side brought proof” can become the final number, and how the right experts and documentation can prevent costly post-divorce enforcement fights.

You’ll also hear how some courts get surprisingly practical with unique property, including creative approaches to splitting collections, plus what it means to negotiate for enforcement before mediation so you can actually receive what you bargained for. If you’re facing a high net worth divorce, equitable distribution questions, asset valuation disputes, or concerns about dissipation, this conversation will help you think more clearly and prepare more strategically.

Subscribe for more family law guidance, share this with someone sorting out property division, and leave a review if it helped. What’s the strangest or most emotionally charged asset you’ve seen people fight over?

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 how Kelly can help you, you can visit her website at: https://vettingthehouse.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 flip your financial life overnight, especially if you were not the person paying the bills, tracking accounts, or managing investments. We sit down with Ryan Finley, CPA and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, to map out what a real “ground zero” financial reset looks like and how to replace panic with a clear plan you can actually follow.

We start with the basics that make everything else possible: gathering documents, building a marital balance sheet, and translating tax returns and pay stubs into a simple picture of income. Then we get practical about divorce budgeting by categorizing 12 to 24 months of bank and credit card activity so your monthly spending is based on facts, not memory. From there, we walk through the tough decisions that hit fast, like whether keeping the house helps your kids or quietly harms your future cash flow, and how child support or spousal support may fit into the math.

Ryan also explains why equal looking assets can be wildly unequal after taxes, especially when dividing retirement accounts and investments with different cost basis and capital gains exposure. We dig into advanced issues that often show up in negotiations, including vesting bonus plans, forensic accounting, and tracing dissipation. The through line stays the same: build a plan that helps you feel steady now and capable later.

If you want more clarity during divorce, subscribe for more family law and financial strategy conversations, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the help.

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 how Ryan can help you or to learn more about Freedom Financial Services Group, you can view his website at: https://www.freedomfsg.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.