Second opinion
Divorce Financial Planning
A clear-eyed read on the settlement — what's on the table, what it's really worth, and what life costs after.
A divorce settlement is a set of financial trades made at the worst possible time to think clearly about money. Assets that look equal on paper rarely are — a house and a 401(k) of the same size behave completely differently over the next twenty years.
We work alongside your attorney: the legal advice is theirs; the financial analysis of what you're agreeing to is ours.
Equal on paper, different in practice
The two assets most settlements trade against each other.
The house
- Illiquid — the value is real but you can't spend it
- Carries costs: tax, insurance, upkeep, on one income
- Basis and exclusion rules decide the tax on a later sale
The retirement accounts
- Pre-tax dollars aren't whole dollars — the IRS owns a slice
- Dividing them cleanly requires a QDRO, not a handshake
- They keep compounding while the house keeps costing
Neither is better in general. Priced after tax and against your actual plan, the equal-looking trade usually isn't.
Three questions to answer before you sign
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Is the split actually equal?
A dollar of home equity, a dollar of pre-tax 401(k), and a dollar of brokerage account are three different dollars once taxes and liquidity enter. Settlements that divide account balances without pricing the tax inside them routinely hand one side meaningfully less.
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Can you afford to keep the house?
The house is the asset people fight for and the one most likely to sink the plan that follows — property tax, upkeep, and a mortgage on one income. Sometimes keeping it is exactly right; it should be a priced decision, not a sentimental default.
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What does the next decade cost?
Support payments end, children launch, and a household budget built for two incomes has to work on one. We model the after — because the settlement only has to be signed once, but it has to work for years.
Sign it once. Live with it for decades.
Review my settlement
Bring us three things
- The draft settlement or mediation worksheet
- Statements for the accounts being divided
- A realistic monthly budget — or we'll build one together
You leave with
- Every asset priced after tax, side by side
- A keep-or-trade analysis on the house
- A post-divorce plan: income, budget, and accounts retitled correctly
We're not on anyone's side but the math's.
This isn't about winning — it's about walking out with a plan that works. We coordinate with your attorney and mediator, and the analysis is the same whichever chair you're sitting in.
Ask about yours
A settlement that looked even: she kept the paid-off house, he kept the 401(k) of the same stated value. Ten years on, her share was a roof plus rising carrying costs; his had compounded pre-tax. Nobody cheated anyone — the paper was equal. Pricing the trade before signing would have changed what she asked for.
Hypothetical scenario for illustration. Not an actual client. Individual circumstances and results differ.
Kingsbury Financial Advisors
Kingsbury Financial Advisors is a full-service comprehensive financial planning and wealth management firm located in Tampa, Florida. Alongside our strategic partnership with the leading comprehensive financial planning firm Caitlin John Private Wealth management, we have all of the necessary resources to support our clients in conquering their financial goals.
What to expect
- 01 Introduction A short conversation about what prompted you to reach out. No preparation needed and nothing to sign.
- 02 Discovery We gather the full picture — accounts, obligations, timelines, and the goals behind them.
- 03 Your plan We walk you through a written plan together, including the trade-offs behind every recommendation.
- 04 Ongoing partnership Regular reviews, proactive tax and planning work, and a direct line when something changes.
Talk through your situation
True wealth is more than money.
Start with a conversation. No cost, no pressure, no obligation to continue.