You know the law. Your clients need to know what each settlement option means for the next twenty years.
That means the tax hidden in a 401(k), the cost of keeping the house, and whether support plus their own income actually covers a life. Those questions slow negotiations down when nobody can answer them. We answer them, in plain numbers your client can follow.
When to call us
Unequal assets
A 401(k) against a brokerage account against home equity. We compare them on the same after-tax basis.
The house question
Whether your client can keep it on one income, and what it costs them elsewhere if they do.
A pension on the table
Lump sum or annuity, survivor benefits, and how the division affects retirement.
A business owner spouse
Liquidity, what the business pays out, and what a buyout would mean for both sides’ finances.
A spouse who never handled money
Someone who needs a budget, a plan and a steady hand once the case closes.
Near retirement
Divorces after 55, where Social Security, pensions and health insurance timing all matter.
What we provide
- A complete list of accounts with values, tax status and cost basis
- Side-by-side comparisons of settlement proposals in after-tax dollars
- A post-divorce budget and five-year cash-flow projection
- Notes on QDRO and IRA transfer mechanics for your drafting
- After the decree: accounts opened and retitled, transfers completed, beneficiaries updated, and an ongoing plan
Your role and ours
| Attorney | Morrowgate | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal advice and negotiation | Yes | No |
| Drafting the settlement, QDROs and orders | Yes, or QDRO counsel | Provides account details and checks the mechanics |
| After-tax analysis of proposals | Uses it | Prepares it |
| Budget and cash flow after divorce | Reviews it | Prepares it with the client |
| Implementing the division | Directs it | Executes the account side |
How an introduction works
Send a short email, with your client’s permission. A first name, the stage of the case and what you need.
Greg replies, usually within one business day. We work with one spouse, your client, and won’t contact the other side. Specialist legal and tax questions stay with you and the client’s CPA.
How Morrowgate works with attorneys. Greg prepares the financial analysis your client needs and explains it in plain terms. After the divorce, he sets up and manages accounts in the client’s own name at Fidelity, with Schwab available. He coordinates with the attorney and CPA and doesn’t give legal advice. Fees are explained to the client in writing before any work begins.
Questions attorneys ask
Do you work with both spouses?
No. We work with one client and coordinate through their attorney.
Do you testify as an expert?
No. Our role is to help your client understand the options and plan for life after. If you need a testifying expert, we’ll say so.
Can you help after the case is closed?
Yes. Many clients need the most help once the transfers are done and they’re managing on their own.
Where are client assets held?
In the client’s own name at an independent custodian, primarily Fidelity, with Schwab available.
Where this guidance stops
This article is general education on how a wealth manager supports clients and counsel in a divorce: how the rules and the options generally work.
It is not tax, legal or investment advice, and nothing here is a recommendation for your situation. Rules change and outcomes turn on the facts, which is why a CPA and an attorney look at a family’s own numbers before anything is done.
Sources
- New York Domestic Relations Law § 236
- IRS Publication 504: Divorced or separated individuals
- U.S. Department of Labor: QDROs