FAMILY LAW AND MEDIATION
IN LAFAYETTE, INDIANA

Call to Get Started

FAMILY LAW AND MEDIATION
IN LAFAYETTE, INDIANA

Call to Get Started

Protecting Your Future When Dividing Retirement Or Investment Accounts Is Complex

You’ve worked hard to get to this point in your financial life. The work may have been in paid employment or in management of your household — or in some of each. No matter what your precise circumstances, you don’t want divorce to pull the rug out from under your retirement assets or leave you without your fair share of investment accounts that are marital property.

If you are in this situation, attorney Cynthia P. Smith can provide effective legal counsel. She has the skill and experience to handle property division issues involving retirement accounts, investments and other complicated financial arrangements. To learn more about how she can help, call the Law Office of Cynthia P. Smith in Lafayette at 765-588-3952 to arrange a confidential consultation.

How Is Your Retirement Account Structured?

Retirement accounts are an important aspect of dividing property fairly in a divorce. The form those accounts take has changed a lot in recent years under Indiana law.

Only a couple of generations ago, pensions that paid a fixed amount upon retirement were much more common than they are now. Today, it is much more likely that you or your spouse will have a 401(k), an IRA or some other account that reflects your contributions but does not guarantee a particular sum of money upon retirement.

Regardless of how the account is structured, it is possible to divide retirement assets in divorce. The vehicle for doing this is called a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO). As an experienced divorce lawyer, Ms. Smith can guide you through the process of using a QDRO in your particular situation.

Valuing And Dividing Your Investment Accounts

In today’s complex financial playing field, investment vehicles take many forms. They can include securities, mutual funds, annuities and investments in real estate or commodities.

In a divorce, there are several issues that can arise. One is the question of valuation. For example, it requires complicated calculations to determine the present value of an annuity that pays a certain amount of money over time.

Issues of financial infidelity can also arise in a divorce. A spouse may have taken marital property and used it to open a separate account, concealing assets from his or her marital partner.

Get Legal Advice To Safeguard Your Financial Well-Being After Divorce

Dividing assets during a divorce can be difficult. Attorney Smith has the strong litigation and financial skills needed to get to the bottom of situations, such as concealed assets, portioning retirement assets and helping clients resolve other high-asset issues. To arrange a confidential consultation, email us or call 765-588-3952.