Retirement Divorce Specialist
Pensions, Social Security, retirement accounts — California community property requires expertise. This guide shows you exactly what to protect.
Leanne Ozaine, CDFA® & CFP® | Specializing in gray divorce for 50+
Turn Panic Into Power — $97If you're divorcing in Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, or anywhere in the Coachella Valley, you represent the epitome of gray divorce. The desert's retirement communities attract residents 55+ seeking sun, golf, and active adult living. Custody battles are rarely your concern—your children are adults with families of their own. Your divorce centers entirely on dividing retirement income, real estate, country club memberships, and decades of accumulated savings.
This is especially challenging if you've never personally managed retirement accounts. Perhaps your spouse handled pension distributions, Social Security planning, investment withdrawals, and Medicare decisions. Now you're facing questions like:
You spent 40 years building retirement savings. Now you're dividing them in 6 months — at an age when there's no second chance.
If you're 65 and give up $200,000 in pension benefits you were entitled to, you're not going to make that back. There's no overtime at this stage. No side hustle. No waiting 15 years for the market to recover.
Your spouse understands pensions. They've managed the 401(k) for decades. They know exactly where the money is.
You're seeing these retirement statements for the first time — while negotiating a settlement that determines whether you can stay in Palm Springs.
California's community property law means everything earned during marriage is split 50/50. But "everything" includes pensions, 401(k)s, IRAs, stock options, and the house. Each has different division rules and tax implications.
The difference between understanding your retirement accounts and not? It's the difference between staying in your Palm Springs home or having to relocate. Between affording golf and recreation — or watching your lifestyle disappear.
Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley are premier retirement destinations with unique real estate considerations:
Home values: Homes in Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, and La Quinta range from $400K-$3M+ depending on community, golf course access, and amenities. Properties purchased 15-25 years ago have appreciated significantly.
Country club communities: Many residents live in gated country club communities (Bighorn, The Madison Club, Toscana) with membership bonds worth $50K-$250K+. These are marital assets requiring division.
Vacation rentals: Some Palm Springs properties generate rental income during peak season. Who keeps the rental income post-divorce?
Seasonal lifestyle: Many desert residents are "snowbirds" with homes elsewhere. Which property stays with whom?
Palm Springs retirees typically live on fixed incomes from multiple sources. California community property law requires equal division of:
The Coachella Valley's lifestyle revolves around golf and recreation. Memberships can be substantial marital assets:
At 65+, most Palm Springs residents are on Medicare, but healthcare planning remains critical:
For retirees in Palm Springs divorcing after 20-40 years of marriage, California's "Rule of 65" is critically important:
What is the Rule of 65? If your age plus years of marriage equals 65 or more, spousal support may continue indefinitely rather than being time-limited.
Example: If you're 55 and married 15 years (55+15=70), you may qualify for indefinite support.
What this means for Palm Springs gray divorce: Unlike Florida's elimination of permanent alimony, California still protects supported spouses in long-term marriages. This makes California community property division AND spousal support planning essential.
In Palm Springs and Coachella Valley retirement communities, we work almost exclusively with gray divorce (55-75+ age range, 20-40+ year marriages). Here's what makes it financially complex:
When you're already retired and living on pensions, Social Security, and investment distributions, divorce means dividing limited income:
Palm Springs offers relatively affordable California retirement compared to LA or San Francisco, but post-divorce affordability matters:
Many of our Palm Springs clients—particularly those who worked outside the home but let their spouse handle retirement planning—now need to understand:
You're not alone: Retirement income management is learnable, even if you've never done it before. We help you understand your income sources and how to make them last.
Palm Springs residents (55+) rarely have minor children. Divorce planning centers entirely on dividing retirement income, assets, and ensuring both spouses can maintain lifestyle through their remaining years.
As a Palm Springs or Coachella 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. This is particularly important for Palm Springs gray divorces where one spouse supported the other's career.
Learn more about California's community property laws →
We provide virtual divorce financial planning services throughout the Coachella 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 spousal support, pension shares, Social Security, and investment distributions — 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 — HOA fees, property taxes, healthcare costs — before you fight for something you can't actually maintain.
The asset identification system helps you find accounts, pensions, 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 — $97Your lawyer knows the law. But do they know what you'll live on for the next 25 years? Don't sign anything until you understand exactly what you're agreeing to.
Turn Panic Into Power — $97 Book a Strategy Session