What Are You Waiting For?
The clock is ticking, and every delay in finalizing QDROs or valuations puts your clients at greater risk. Here’s what’s already happeningin cases left unfinished: Market fluctuations are eating away their shareEvery swing in the market changes what your client is entitled to. That $250,000 they thought they were getting? It’s not the same anymore. […]
Who Are You Showing Up For?
In a divorce settlement, are you showing up for your client or for the adversary across the table? The Flawed Shortcut Here’s the traditional way when dividing retirement assets: “Let’s make it easy. Let’s equalize all the retirement plans, split them down the middle, transfer from an IRA… and boom, we’re done.” It feels like […]
Stand For Something Or Stand For Nothing At All
There’s a line you don’t cross. For me, it happened in the quiet of my office, staring at a settlement agreement on my screen. The retirement section was riddled with errors and ambiguity—gaping holes you could drive a truck through. On the other side were two attorneys, eager to wrap things up. They didn’t see […]
Why Retirement Equalization Is a Shortcut to Disaster
Here’s the truth: equalizing different types of retirement plans leads to unfairness, complexity, and, ironically, higher costs. A Common Scenario Let’s stop pretending that a 401(k) and a Roth IRA are interchangeable. Spoiler: they aren’t. One party keeps $100,000 in a 401(k), while the other gets $80,000 in a Roth IRA and $20,000 from the […]
Why Equalizing Retirement Plans is Still a Mess—Even When You Follow the “Rules”
Here’s the hard truth: if you must equalize, you’re stepping into a minefield. Even with guidelines, it’s messy, time-consuming, and rarely fair. But, if you have to do it, let’s talk specifics. Rule #1: Never Equalize a 401(k) with Another Plan If contributions were made after the cutoff date, equalizing a 401(k) with any other […]