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Tech & High-Asset Specialist

Divorcing in Orange County?
Tech Stock, Coastal Real Estate, Business Equity — Do You Know What's Community Property?

RSUs, investment portfolios, real estate — California's community property law requires expertise. This guide shows you exactly what to protect.

Leanne Ozaine, CDFA® & CFP® | Specializing in high-asset divorces

Turn Panic Into Power — $97
Important Disclaimer: Leanne Ozaine is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® and CFP® professional who provides financial education and coaching services only. She is not an attorney and does not provide legal advice. For legal guidance specific to California divorce law, always consult with a qualified family law attorney licensed in California.

Gray Divorce in Orange County: When High-Net-Worth Meets 50+ Divorce

If you're over 50 and facing divorce in Orange County, 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 launching their own careers. Instead, your divorce centers entirely on dividing decades of accumulated wealth in one of the nation's most affluent regions.

This is especially challenging if you've never personally managed the family finances. Perhaps your spouse handled the business interests, investment portfolios, and real estate holdings while you focused on raising children or supporting their career. Now you're facing questions like:

Your Spouse Built The Business. You Built Everything Else. Now What's Yours?

The medical practice. The real estate portfolio. The investment accounts. The retirement funds. You've watched these assets grow for 20 or 30 years.

But do you actually understand how they work? What's the business really worth? How is professional goodwill calculated? Which investments are community property vs. separate property? What happens to deferred compensation?

Your spouse has managed these assets for decades. They understand valuations, depreciation, and tax strategies.

You're trying to understand it all now — while negotiating a settlement worth $2-5 million or more.

High-net-worth divorce isn't just about lawyers. It's about understanding what you have, what it's worth, and what you're legally entitled to under California community property law.

The difference between understanding your assets and not? It can easily be $500,000-$1,000,000 in your final settlement.

Turn Panic Into Power — Get the Guide →

See Exactly What Your Post-Divorce Life Looks Like — Before You Sign Anything

The 5-step system that shows you what you'll actually live on, so you stop guessing and start knowing.

Know what you'll actually have to live on

Calculate your real post-divorce income — including spousal support, assets, and earning potential — so you negotiate from facts, not fear.

Never miss a document or account

Document gathering checklists tell you exactly what to bring to your attorney — so you walk in prepared, not panicked.

Know if you can really afford to keep the house

Map out your real expenses as a single person — before you fight for something you can't actually maintain.

Identify everything you own — and what your spouse might be hiding

The asset identification system helps you find accounts and property you might not even know exist.

22-page guide + video tutorials + checklists + templates

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Instant access. 100% money-back guarantee.

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What Makes Orange County Divorces Unique

Professional Practices & Business Interests

Orange County has high concentrations of medical practices, dental practices, law firms, and professional services. California law treats professional goodwill as community property, significantly affecting business valuations.

Common scenarios:

For those new to business valuation: Professional goodwill, accounts receivable, equipment, and ongoing contracts all factor into what a business is worth. These valuations require forensic accounting expertise.

Extraordinary Real Estate Values

Orange County real estate is among the most expensive in the nation. Properties in Newport Coast, Laguna Beach, and Irvine regularly exceed $3M-$10M+. Homes purchased 20-30 years ago have appreciated dramatically.

Key questions for gray divorce:

Complex Investment Portfolios

High-net-worth Orange County families often have sophisticated investment structures:

The challenge: Many spouses have never managed these investments directly. Understanding what you own—and what portion is community property—requires financial education before negotiation.

Orange County's High Cost of Living

Orange County (Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Irvine, Huntington Beach) has some of California's highest median incomes and costs of living. This affects:

Spousal support calculations: The "marital standard of living" in coastal Orange County can be very high. Maintaining even half of that standard post-divorce may require substantial support.

Housing costs: Whether renting or buying, staying in Orange County post-divorce is expensive. Many 50+ clients face the question: relocate to a more affordable area or struggle financially to stay?

Retirement planning: Can you retire in Orange County, or do you need to plan for relocation to make your retirement assets last?

Gray Divorce in Orange County: The Financial Reality

In Orange County, we work with clients divorcing after 20, 30, or 40+ years of marriage. Here's what makes gray divorce financially complex in this region:

Accumulated Real Estate Wealth

If you bought property in Orange County 20-30 years ago, appreciation has likely been extraordinary. Homes purchased for $600K-$800K in the 1990s or 2000s are now worth $2.5M-$5M or more.

Critical decisions: That appreciation is community property. Do you sell and split it? Does one spouse buy out the other? Can either of you afford to keep the home? What about capital gains taxes?

Retirement Planning in an Expensive Market

When you're 50, 60, or older, you don't have decades to rebuild wealth. Every asset division decision affects your retirement security.

Learning to Manage Wealth Independently

Many of our Orange County clients—particularly those who supported a spouse's business, medical practice, or career—have never personally managed million-dollar portfolios, rental properties, or complex investments.

You're not alone: We help you understand what you have, how it generates income, and how to manage it going forward. Investment portfolios and business interests aren't intuitive, but they're learnable.

California Community Property Law Applies

As an Orange County 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. This is particularly important for gray divorces where one spouse supported the other's career.

Learn more about California's community property laws →

Serving Orange County Communities

We provide virtual divorce financial planning services throughout Orange County, including:

Your Divorce Is 80% About Money. Who's Protecting Your 80%?

Whether you've managed investment portfolios for years or you're learning about asset valuation for the first time, we provide the education and guidance you need to protect your financial future.

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