When “I” Becomes “Us”—Blending Your Lives and Your Finances

Preparing your financial life for whatever marriage may bring

Request an Introduction

Most couples have no problem talking about their aspirations, work, family, friends, and current events. But they clam up when it comes to money. Discussing your personal finances openly and honestly is essential for your current and future financial life together.

We help you have these conversations, offering objective advice and oversight to preserve, grow, and protect your wealth.

  • Facilitate the “money talk” to align your financial priorities, needs, and goals
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive financial plan that reflects your shared vision
  • Work with your attorney to draft a pre- or postnuptial agreement
  • Provide divorce financial consulting in the unfortunate event your marriage dissolves

Marriage is one of the most significant financial steps you will ever take. Be prepared for both the upside and downside.

Ekaterina Klimentova

Partner / Ekaterina Klimentova

With two marriage-aged children of my own, I hear plenty of discussions about choosing a wedding planner, selecting a venue, and other plans for the big day, but I haven’t heard one discussion about choosing a financial advisor. In my opinion, discussing and planning for a couple’s financial future is of paramount importance."

Objective Advice Tailored to Your Marital Situation

Newly engaged. Happily married. Getting a divorce. Whatever phase you’re at as a couple, we’re here to help guide you through it.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

A stigma surrounds prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, but they’re actually a contract between two loving people. The time to plan is when you love and respect each other—it helps minimize discord and legal fees if you later divorce. We work closely with you and your attorney to ensure the agreement reflects your unique situation: family heirlooms, intellectual property, future earnings, or income disparity. We also make sure that you fully understand the financial terms.

Comprehensive Wealth Management

“I have no idea what our monthly spending is.” “I don’t know anything about our taxes.” “My spouse handles all that.” Most couples divide financial tasks, making good communication even more vital. The decisions you make in one area of your financial life impact the others. We actively engage you and your spouse in all aspects of your financial planning – cash flow analysis, taxes, estate planning, insurance, investments, and retirement planning. You both need to know and understand how your wealth is being managed, and the actions needed to keep you on track.

Divorce Financial Consulting

Emotions run high during a divorce, and asset classification (marital or separate) and subsequent division are hotly contested topics. Our unique expertise in divorce financial consulting helps your attorney secure an equitable settlement for you. We are often called upon to:

  • Trace assets to determine classification as marital or separate property
  • Prepare net worth statements to provide an accurate picture of household wealth
  • Perform a lifestyle analysis to determine the family’s standard of living and assist in the determination of spousal and child support
  • Write or review tax clauses in the divorce agreement for assets that can’t be divided
  • Review prior tax returns to uncover hidden sources of income and much more.

Building a Solid Foundation with Marital Financial Planning

Studies show that the inability of spouses to communicate about their finances is the second leading cause of divorce (after infidelity).

Studies show that the inability of spouses to communicate about their finances is the second leading cause of divorce (after infidelity).

  • Establish financial “ground rules” and discuss expectations for spending and saving
  • Decide how premarital assets and debt will be handled
  • Create a mutually-agreeable plan for resolving competing financial goals and concerns
  • "Course-correct” to adjust your financial plan for life events like the birth of a child
  • Identify investment preferences, including the type of securities and risk profile

Explore Our Offerings for Individuals and Families

Economic & Market Update

Second Quarter 2024 Review and Forecast

The soft-landing scenario is showing signs of becoming a reality as the U.S. economy appears to be slowing just enough to revive dormant disinflationary forces but not enough to provoke fears of recession. While headline inflation has resumed its march toward the 2% target, the Federal Reserve awaits further confirmation of progress, especially in the stickier shelter and services components, before initiating rate cuts.

Paul Chmielewski

Partner

Estate Planning

The No Claw-Back Rule

In April 2022, the IRS issued proposed regulations creating exceptions to the No Claw-Back Rule. This threatens the ability to benefit from the current all-time high estate tax exclusion amounts.

Vonny Carrington, Kathryn Kennedy and Ekaterina Klimentova

Financial Planning

Managing Money as a Couple

In a Relationship? So are Your Finances. Learn practical financial tips for managing money as a couple.

Susan Hartley-Moss

Partner

Estate Planning

Building Trusts That Stand the Test of Time

Today’s economic climate is a “wake up” call for anyone involved with the management and operation of a trust. Now is the time to re-evaluate your clients’ trust structures and investments to make sure they don’t have the same experience.

Paul Chmielewski

Partner

Estate Planning

Biden Green Book Proposals

The Green Book contains the Administration’s policy tax and budget policy goals for the coming year. This year’s Green Book proposes significant changes to the current estate tax planning regime.

Devon Ruttenberg

Partner

Family Office

Why Your Family Office May Need an Advisor

With great wealth comes great responsibility. Families with legacy wealth that want direct control over investment policy decisions often establish a family office to oversee, directly or indirectly, the financial affairs of the family.

Brett Dearing

Partner

Business Owner Advisory

One Key to Selling Your Practice: Preparation, Preparation, Preparation

The decision to sell something you’ve spent a significant part of your life building may be one of the most difficult ones you’ll ever make. That’s why the preparation leading up to this decision is vital.

Judith Gordon

Principal

Estate Planning

Estate Planning Strategies for Married Couples in the New Decade

For the first half of the new decade a married couple may be able to transfer approx. $23 million without triggering any federal estate tax for their heirs.

Andrew Fisher

Partner

Cross-Border Planning

Warning Signs for American Expat Investors Working with Large U.S. Investment Firms

Investors who chose to live overseas or anywhere outside the U.S. border face inevitable complications to their financial life. There are seven warning signs that can help safeguard you against firms that should be avoided.

Select your specialty

Investing is a commitment to your future. It's a way to grow and preserve what you've earned. Our disciplined and goal-centric investment approach helps ensure your portfolio is positioned to withstand changing market and economic conditions.

Learn More

Our advanced estate planning and wealth preservation solutions help you achieve your goals while mitigating tax liabilities. Recommendations are tailored to your unique situation and reflect our expansive knowledge of estate, trust, gift, and tax laws.

Learn More

Successfully navigating the financial challenges that come with wealth involves planning, relevant advice, and an advisor who’s not afraid to say "no" when you ask, “can I afford this?” Cerity Partners does all three.

Learn More

Protect the life you and your family have worked so hard to build. We help you understand your current level of risk exposure and offer personalized solutions that seek to protect the vulnerable areas of your financial life.

Learn More

We design and implement tax optimization strategies including the creation of detailed tax projections and the preparation of personal, trust, and business tax returns.

Learn More

Our family office services span the spectrum from full financial management to helping you establish and coordinate your own family office. Whatever level of support you need, we can help.

Learn More

We work with owners of privately-held businesses to help them create and execute transition plans that provide a seamless and successful exit for themselves, their families and other stakeholders.

Learn More

We’re here to help you create a comprehensive financial plan that reflects your shared vision. In the unfortunate event your marriage dissolves, we also provide divorce financial consulting.

Learn More

Just because your professional life is spread across different regions of the world doesn’t mean your financial life has to be complicated. Cerity Partners has extensive knowledge of U.S. and global tax laws and regulations, and we will work with you to preserve and grow your wealth here and abroad.

Learn More

Your Introduction to an Expert Financial Partner Awaits

Our Concierge Program offers a simple, personalized approach to finding your ideal financial advisor.

Schedule your complimentary 30-minute discovery call so we can understand your unique financial and life goals and match you with the advisor most well suited to help.

Team member's headshot

Dustin Ribergaard

Lead Concierge

Call us to Schedule: (212) 202-1810

Our Concierge Program offers a simple, personalized approach to finding your ideal financial advisor.

Schedule your complimentary
30-minute discovery call.

Call us: (212) 202-1810

or

complete this form to schedule

Book your meeting

This 30-minute call with me is designed to better understand your unique financial and life goals and match you with the advisor most well suited to help.

Looking forward to
speaking with you!

Lead Concierge

Dustin Ribergaard

Thank you for booking a meeting with us!

We look forward to connecting with you soon.

Here are some valuable insights to read before your meeting

Paul Chmielewski

Partner

Estate Planning

2024 Gift, Estate, and GST Tax Changes

Partner Paul Chmielewski highlights the gift, estate and GST tax changes for 2024.

Stephen Klingler

Principal

Investing

5 Things to Do in a Down Market

Volatile markets can shake the confidence of even the most committed long-term investors.  Starting with a comprehensive financial plan, understanding just how much risk you…

Paul Chmielewski

Partner

Charitable Giving

A Guide to Charitable Gifting Options

Discover the power of purposeful giving with our guide on current charitable gifting options. Explore Private Foundations, Charitable Remainder Trusts, and Donor Advised Funds to…

For general inquiries, click here | For institutions and non-profits, click here

For general inquiries, click here
For institutions and non-profits, click here

By clicking “Submit”, you acknowledge that we collect your name, email address and phone number to respond to your inquiries and provide you information about our products and services in accordance with our Privacy Policy. If you are a California resident, please see our CCPA Notice to California Residents.