Divorce Assistance

Court Order Assistance

We will assist attorneys with the preparation of the necessary documents to divide retirement plans. These plans may include 401(k), Profit Sharing, ESOP, Defined Benefit Pension Plans, Military Orders, COAP for FERS and CSRS.

We have extensive experience and knowledge dealing with Corporations and Government Plans with the requirements and language necessary to assist you.

Equitable Division of Assets

To ensure assets are equitably divided, detailed analyses of settlement options are prepared by reviewing income, taxes, expenses, cash flow, property and net worth. The financial status of both spouses is compared over time using various factors to produce a complete picture of asset division.

Expenses may increase during and after a divorce. Budgets need to be reviewed to determine if cash flow is positive now and in the future. Cash Flow Analysis can suggest reasonable expenses and mortgage amounts. This analysis can project the growth or decline of assets and the impact on future financial security.

Property and savings, including retirement plans, acquired prior to a marriage are considered non-marital assets if properly titled and segregated. The same is true for inherited assets. Any accumulation or increase of those assets through the efforts of the marriage may be considered marital. Proper records of these assets may get misplaced over time. The monetary amount of assets that should be considered as non-marital property in dissolution of marriage is often a contentious issue.

Analysis of assets can be made to determine the current fair market value of the non-marital asset. This is especially possible for intangible assets like brokerage accounts and 401(k) plans. Properly verifying the value of non-marital assets provides the courts with a more concise valuation of marital assets subject to division. This analysis also allows the owner of the non-marital asset to retain their assets after divorce.

Pensions can effectively be divided in many ways. Calculations can be made on future and present pensions to determine the current value of the pension as a lump sum monetary amount (Present Value). Based on several factors, the marital amount (and non-marital amount) of the pension can be considered when equitably dividing marital assets.

By considering the Present Value of the pension or the pension's current or future benefit within a comprehensive analysis including cash flow and net worth, better decisions can be made when negotiating settlement options.

Expert Witness testimony can be provided on the specific topics discussed above and other financial matters including uncovering hidden assets through account tracing.

Gallo and Russell work together to provide the financial analyses, reports and support necessary to support your dissolution of marriage situation or litigation efforts. They are not Attorneys and do not practice Law.

Contact Gallo & Russell to determine if they can be of service in your dissolution of marriage case. An initial thirty-minute consultation is available at no charge. To schedule your initial consultation, call (321) 242-8200, or email ggallo@lasalle-st.com