Gray Divorce Financial Specialist
Agricultural assets, pensions, real estate — California's 50/50 split sounds simple. This guide shows you exactly what to protect.
Leanne Ozaine, CDFA® & CFP® | Specializing in gray divorce for 50+
Turn Panic Into Power — $97Here's what nobody tells you: A "fair" settlement can still leave you struggling.
50/50 sounds equal. But if you take the house and your spouse takes the 401(k), only one of you has retirement income. A pension isn't cash. Tax treatment turns "half" into 40% or 60% depending on which half you take.
Your lawyer knows California law. They don't know what you'll live on for the next 30 years.
Most people sign their settlement while still in emotional shock. The brain is in survival mode — the prefrontal cortex that makes rational decisions is literally offline. By the time the fog lifts, the settlement is final.
You need someone whose only job is protecting your financial future — not billable hours, not legal posturing. Someone who can show you exactly what different settlement scenarios mean for your life 5, 10, 25 years from now.
If you're over 50 and facing divorce in Fresno or the Central Valley, you're likely dealing with financial complexity that most people never encounter. Child custody battles typically aren't your main concern—your children are grown, in college, or established in their own careers. Instead, your divorce centers entirely on dividing decades of accumulated wealth, often tied to agricultural operations, farm equipment, and land that's been in families for generations.
This is especially challenging if you've never personally managed the farm finances. Perhaps your spouse handled the agricultural operations, equipment purchases, and land management while you focused on family and home. Now you're facing questions like:
The Central Valley is the agricultural heartland of California, and divorces here often involve complex farming operations. This creates unique valuation and division challenges:
Farm and Orchard Valuation: A working farm's value isn't just the land—it includes crops in the ground, irrigation systems, permanent plantings (orchards, vineyards), and equipment. Valuing these requires specialized expertise.
Seasonal Cash Flow: Agricultural income varies dramatically by season. Understanding the true annual income from farming operations requires looking at multiple years, not just recent tax returns.
Water Rights: In California's Central Valley, water rights can be worth as much as the land itself. These are often overlooked but critical assets in agricultural divorces.
For those new to managing finances: If your spouse managed the farming operation for decades, you need to understand how to value crops, equipment, and land before negotiating. The difference between a good valuation and a bad one can be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Central Valley agricultural land has appreciated significantly over the decades. Land purchased generations ago may now be worth substantial sums, even as a working farm.
Key questions for gray divorce:
Many Central Valley families combine farming income with off-farm employment. If your spouse worked for a local government, school district, or utility company, CalPERS or other pension benefits may be a significant asset.
Important considerations:
Many Central Valley agricultural operations are structured as family businesses, LLCs, or corporations. Dividing these entities requires understanding:
In Fresno and throughout the Central Valley, we work with clients divorcing after 20, 30, or 40+ years of marriage—often with complex agricultural and business assets:
After decades of building a farming operation, the business may be your most valuable asset. Understanding your rights and options is critical:
Central Valley's cost of living is generally lower than coastal California, making retirement more affordable. However, gray divorce clients still face critical questions:
Many of our Central Valley clients—particularly spouses of farmers and agricultural business owners—have never personally managed the farm's finances, equipment loans, or crop insurance.
You're not alone: Agricultural finances are complex but learnable. We help you understand what you're entitled to and how to access it post-divorce.
As a Central Valley resident, your divorce follows California's strict community property laws:
The Rule of 65: If your age plus years of marriage equals 65 or more, spousal support may continue indefinitely—important for spouses who supported long agricultural careers.
Learn more about California's community property laws →
We provide virtual divorce financial planning services throughout the Central Valley, including:
The 5-step system that shows you what you'll actually live on, so you stop guessing and start knowing.
Calculate your real post-divorce income — including farm assets, pension share, and earning potential — so you negotiate from facts, not fear.
Document gathering checklists tell you exactly what to bring to your attorney — so you walk in prepared, not panicked.
Map out your real expenses as a single person — before you fight for something you can't actually maintain.
The asset identification system helps you find accounts and property you might not even know exist.
22-page guide + video tutorials + checklists + templates
$97
Instant access. 100% money-back guarantee.
Get the Clarity You Need — $97Don't navigate Central Valley's complex agricultural divorces alone. Get the financial education you need to protect your future.
Turn Panic Into Power — $97 Contact Us