Going through a divorce? If you or your spouse have foreign financial accounts, don't overlook your U.S. reporting obligations. One of the biggest misconceptions is that filing an **FBAR (FinCEN Form 114)** automatically satisfies **IRS Form 8938**. It doesn't. Depending on your situation, you may need to file both. Understanding the difference now can help you avoid costly penalties and protect your financial future.

Why NJ CIS and NY Financial Disclosure Affidavits Feel So Overwhelming

If you’re going through a divorce, one of the most important and stressful documents you’ll complete is the Case Information Statement (CIS). It’s detailed. It’s financial. And for many people, it feels overwhelming. The CIS is not just paperwork. It tells the financial story of your life. Your income, spending, assets, debts, and lifestyle all live inside this document. Judges, mediators, and attorneys rely on it to make major decisions about support, asset division, and fin

Retirement planning and college planning are more connected than most families realize. Retirement accounts are not counted as assets when calculating the Student Aid Index, while savings and investment accounts are. Increasing retirement contributions can lower taxable income, protect assets from the financial aid formula, and potentially improve aid eligibility. In many cases, saving for retirement is not competing with college planning. It is part of a smarter overall stra

Transform the emotion into wisdom. There is a financial path forward post divorce. Let's strategize.

When most people think about estate planning, the focus is usually on who gets what . Names are listed, percentages assigned, and the assumption is that the work is done. But when it comes to retirement accounts, how beneficiaries inherit can be just as important — and far more expensive — than who inherits. As a CPA, I see this mistake more often than you’d expect. It’s quiet, technical, and rarely explained clearly — until the tax consequences show up. Separate Inherited

Giuseppa Maceri, CPA, IRS CAA When we think about being healthy , most of us think of eating better, working out more, and getting enough sleep. I am a huge fan of all of this, but there’s one pillar of well-being that’s still often left out of the conversation: Financial Health. If you’re navigating a major life change—like divorce—or trying to regain control over your money, it’s time to look at your finances not just as numbers, but as part of your whole-body wellness. 1.

Giuseppa Maceri, CPA, IRS CAA Divorce isn’t just the end of a relationship — it’s a major life reset. Just like you might clean out your closet during a fresh start, this is the perfect time to declutter your finances and get clarity around your financial future. Decluttering emotional baggage is not easy! Decluttering financial assets? Even harder — especially if you’ve never handled them before. That’s where having the right team makes all the difference. Why Decluttering

Divorce can be overwhelming and costly, especially when emotional moments spill over into pricey legal meetings. A divorce coach isn’t a...

During the pandemic, many people shifted to a “work from home” scenario. Expect more IRS scrutiny in the coming year as it relates to...

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