Creating a Financial Plan When Starting From Ground Zero in a Divorce

Send us Fan MailDivorce 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.