Modern Family Matters

with Pacific Cascade Legal
  • 5.0 (27)
  • Kids & Family
  • Updated Weekly

Modern Family Matters is a podcast based out of the Pacific Northwest that discusses a variety of different topics that can impact the family unit, such as divorce, custody, estate planning, adoption, personal injury accidents, and bankruptcy. We believe that there is no such thing as "broken" family, and that true family can take on many different forms. Join our host, Steve Altishin, as he interviews attorneys and other industry professionals on all matters pertaining to the modern family.

  1. Sep 8

    Divorce & Debt: What Happens If Your Ex Doesn’t Pay?

    Send us Fan Mail A divorce decree can say your ex “must pay the debt” and you can still be the one getting collection calls, credit dings, and lawsuit threats. That disconnect is what we unpack with our founding attorney, Lewis Landerholm, as we walk through the real-world pitfalls of marital debt division and why a judge’s order does not automatically bind credit card companies, mortgage lenders, or the IRS.  We get specific about the debts that cause the biggest post-divorce surprises: joint credit cards, mortgages on a home one spouse keeps, and tax debt from joint filing. We explain why being “off title” is not the same as being “off the mortgage,” how late payments can follow you for years, and what usually has to happen to truly remove a spouse from liability: refinance, sale, or in limited cases a loan assumption. We also talk about why taxes can be uniquely stressful, including the risk of unknown balances that surface after the paperwork is signed.  From there, we shift to solutions and enforcement. We discuss how courts enforce only what is written in the final judgment, why do-it-yourself forms often miss critical enforcement terms, and how tools like indemnification clauses, clear deadlines, and attorney fee provisions can change the outcome if your ex does not comply. We also clear up a common misconception about bankruptcy: one spouse’s discharge may not protect the other spouse on joint debts, making timing and planning essential.  If you’re negotiating a divorce settlement or already worried about debt after divorce, listen closely, then subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave us a review so more families can find clear guidance when it matters most. If you would like to speak with one of our attorneys, please call (503) 227-0200 or visit our website at www.pacificcascadelegal.com Disclaimer: Nothing in this communication is intended to provide legal advice or constitute an attorney-client relationship.

  2. Aug 25

    Fatherhood During Divorce: Keeping Your Kids at the Center

    Send us Fan Mail Divorce doesn’t just change a schedule, it can shake a child’s sense of safety. That’s why this conversation is for dads who feel the clock is working against them and who want a stronger, calmer relationship with their kids during separation and co-parenting. I’m joined by Elisabeth Stitt, an author, educator, and certified life coach who specializes in helping divorced dads and single dads build a stable home culture. We dig into the mindset shift that changes everything: when you have half the time, you have to be twice as intentional. Elisabeth explains why kids aren’t actually chasing the house with the biggest TV or the most activities. What they want is predictability, clear expectations, and the steady feeling of “I know what it’s like to be at Dad’s house.” We also get practical. Elisabeth shares a simple tool many dads overlook: a household binder or planner that tracks school details, routines, schedules, and contacts so your kids never feel like they have to “wait for Mom’s house” to feel oriented. Then we name two common traps in divorce parenting, guilt and bitterness, and how they can quietly drive decisions around bedtime, treats, control, and conflict. Finally, we talk about building a values-based home culture, so your parenting plan and custody time aren’t just logistics, they’re a foundation your kids can trust. Subscribe to Modern Family Matters, share this with a dad who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find real help when divorce gets hard. 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 Elisabeth and how she can help you, you can visit her website at: https://www.elisabethstitt.com/ or download her free guide at: https://dads.joyfulparentingcoaching.com/home-culture-pdf 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.

  3. Jul 31

    Financial Planning for Retirement and Estate Planning: Using Pop Culture to Simplify Complex Concepts

    Send us Fan Mail Your will can be perfectly written and still do almost nothing you intended. That’s the hard truth behind estate planning when beneficiary designations, joint titling, retirement accounts, and real estate deeds aren’t coordinated with your legal documents. We sit down with CPA and certified financial analyst Jesse Hurst to connect the dots between retirement planning and estate planning in plain English, including how pop culture can make complicated money topics easier to remember. We dig into what actually drives outcomes for families: a clean asset inventory, a beneficiary audit, and teamwork between your estate planning attorney, financial advisor, and CPA. If you’ve ever assumed “the will decides,” we explain why many assets bypass probate entirely and how that can unintentionally disinherit children, skew “equal” splits, or leave a trust unfunded. We also talk through the human side: naming executors, trustees, and health care decision-makers, then having the conversations that spare your loved ones from guessing. And because tax and retirement rules keep changing, we break down how the Secure Act and the inherited IRA 10-year rule can create a tax hit for adult kids, plus why some families explore tools like trusts and life insurance strategies to manage timing and taxes. If you want fewer surprises and a plan that holds up in the real world, listen now, share this with someone updating their will or trust, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. After you listen, will you review the show and tell us what part of estate planning feels most confusing right now? 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 Jesse and how he can help you, you can visit his website at: https://www.impelwealth.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.

  4. Jul 10

    Pop Culture Guided Financial Planning for Retirement After a Divorce

    Send us Fan Mail Divorce can leave you holding a stack of statements and a knot in your stomach, wondering what you actually own, what it means, and whether retirement is still possible. We sit down with Jesse Hurst, a CPA and Chartered Financial Analyst, to talk through the real-world money decisions that hit right after a divorce and how to replace fear with a plan you can live with. Jesse’s twist is simple and surprisingly effective: use pop culture, music, and familiar stories to make complicated financial concepts stick, so you’re not just being “told” what to do, you understand it.  We dig into why people often feel frozen after a major loss, and how to restart with small steps: take an inventory, clarify what matters most to you, and map out the levers that actually drive outcomes. That includes cash flow planning after spousal support ends, deciding when to claim Social Security, and turning a collection of accounts like a 401(k), IRA, brokerage account, CDs, and home equity into a coordinated retirement strategy with an age-appropriate risk profile.  We also get concrete about taxes and planning traps. Jesse explains why divorce can come with cost basis headaches that don’t exist after a spouse’s death, and why filing status changes can feel like a penalty when someone becomes a widow or widower. If real estate is part of the picture, we talk about rental property cash flow, concentration risk, and when selling a non-producing property can improve liquidity and diversification.  If you’re rebuilding after divorce and want a calmer, clearer way to think about retirement planning and financial independence, hit play. Subscribe to Modern Family Matters, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find real guidance. 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 Jesse and how he can help you, you can visit his website at: https://www.impelwealth.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.

  5. Jun 9

    The Divorce Worry List: What Keeps People Up at Night Before Filing for Divorce

    Send us Fan Mail Divorce can feel like stepping into a fog where every rumor sounds like fact: you will lose the house, you will be broke, the case will drag on for years, and the court will air every private detail. Steve Altishin sits down with Founding Attorney Lewis Landerholm to name the concerns people bring to an initial divorce consultation and to explain what’s real, what’s misunderstood, and what you can actually control. We start with the fear that hits first for most families: financial security. We talk about the pressure of going from two incomes to one, funding two households, and protecting the biggest assets for many couples the family home and retirement accounts. We also dig into why negotiated settlements and mediation can create options beyond the rigid “split everything and sell the house” storyline, especially for Oregon and Washington family law cases where practical compromise can reduce disruption. Then we get concrete about the divorce process, including timelines, legal fees, and why trial is usually the most expensive route. We address discovery and the “dirty laundry” anxiety, plus how transparency can prevent hidden asset fights that explode costs. Finally, we cover kids: whether to move out, why a temporary parenting plan matters, and how child support differs from the more subjective spousal support analysis. If you’re wrestling with the question of “should I get divorced,” we also explain where legal advice ends and where therapists and other professionals can help most. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs clarity, and leave a review so more people can find practical guidance when it matters most. What question about divorce do you want us to answer next? 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. 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.

  6. May 27

    Smart Retirement Planning at Any Age: Using Pop Culture to Make Finances Easy

    Send us Fan Mail Retirement planning can feel like a wall of jargon and spreadsheets, so we brought in someone who makes the numbers feel human. CPA and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst Jesse Hurst joins us to break down how to start retirement financial planning at any age and why the first step is not picking investments. It is getting honest about where you are today, then turning “someday I want to retire” into real retirement goals you can measure. We get practical about the questions that trip people up: how much should you put into a 401(k), why an employer match matters, and why starting at 22 versus waiting until 32 can completely change the outcome even if you save the same way. Jesse shares a simple strategy for increasing contributions over time so you still feel your raises, while your retirement savings rate quietly grows. We also talk about the gap in financial literacy for younger adults, and why many traditional wealth management firms ignore people who are still building, even when they have strong income and big decisions like buying a first home, choosing benefits, setting up insurance, or handling 401(k) rollovers after job changes. Then we move into the part nobody warns you about: the emotional switch from saving to spending. Many retirees have done everything “right” and still feel like they are not allowed to use their money. Jesse explains how a retirement income plan can create permission to spend, and how to prepare for market volatility with a liquidity strategy that helps you avoid selling at the worst possible time. If scary headlines make you want to change your plan, this conversation will help you trade anxiety for a process. If you find this helpful, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a clearer retirement plan, and leave us a review so more families can find the show. 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 Jesse and how he can help you, you can visit his website at: https://www.impelwealth.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.

  7. May 19

    The Business Breakup: The Realities of Business Division in Oregon Divorce

    Send us Fan Mail Your business is not “just an asset.” For a lot of owners, it’s years of risk, late nights, pride, and a sense of security for the future. That’s why business ownership in an Oregon divorce can turn into one of the most intense parts of the entire case, and why the wrong assumption early on can cost you later. We sit down with Lewis Landerholm to map out what actually needs to be answered when a company is on the table: Is it marital property or is there a credible separate property claim tied to premarital value or limited marital contribution? What happens when a spouse works in the business and gets underpaid? How do you handle the very real “double dipping” problem where the business is valued for property division and the business income is still used in spousal support? Then we get practical about business valuation. Different industries require different expertise, and expert opinions can land far apart, sometimes by hundreds of thousands of dollars. We also dig into the messy edge cases that show up in real life: OLCC and other regulated licenses, cannabis-related complications, intellectual property like copyrights, and whether an asset can even be transferred the way people assume. Finally, we talk about entity structure, bylaws, partners, enforcement language in the judgment, and why mediation often gives business owners the time and flexibility that court can’t. If you’re facing divorce with a business involved, subscribe for more straight answers, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more Oregon families can find the guidance. 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. 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.

  8. May 6

    The Divorce Tug-of-War: The Assets That Couples Fight Over Most

    Send us Fan Mail Five assets keep showing up when divorcing couples hit a wall, and the reason is almost never just emotion. It is value. I sit down with founding attorney Lewis Landerholm to unpack why retirement accounts, the marital home, business interests, investment portfolios, and valuable personal property become the flashpoints in divorce and family law cases, especially when each asset carries different tax rules, different volatility, and different paperwork. We get practical about the hidden math: why pre tax 401(k) dollars are not the same as cash, when pensions require an actuary, and how premarital versus marital components can change the division. Then we move to the marital home, where the deed is often easy but the mortgage can be the real obstacle, particularly when a refinance means higher interest rates and a smaller buying power for the spouse who keeps the property. We also explain why judges tend to choose the simplest clean break if a plan is not realistic, and why vague terms in a divorce decree can lead to expensive enforcement fights years later. From there we dig into business valuation, including why picking the right valuation expert matters, what happens when both spouses work in the business, and how buyouts can collide with future cash flow and support issues. We also cover investment accounts, RSUs and stock gains, cost basis, and the tax surprises that can dwarf the “headline” account value. Finally, we talk about appraisals for cars, jewelry, art, and even bitcoin, where volatility makes timing and documentation critical. If you found this helpful, subscribe for more real world divorce guidance, share this with someone sorting out a separation, and leave a review so more families can find clear answers. 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. 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.

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5
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About

Modern Family Matters is a podcast based out of the Pacific Northwest that discusses a variety of different topics that can impact the family unit, such as divorce, custody, estate planning, adoption, personal injury accidents, and bankruptcy. We believe that there is no such thing as "broken" family, and that true family can take on many different forms. Join our host, Steve Altishin, as he interviews attorneys and other industry professionals on all matters pertaining to the modern family.

Information

  • Creator
    with Pacific Cascade Legal
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    221
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Modern Family Matters
  • Show Website
    Modern Family Matters

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