Finance & High-Asset Specialist
Trading income, corporate equity, real estate — Illinois equitable distribution requires expertise. This guide shows you exactly what you're entitled to.
Leanne Ozaine, CDFA® & CFP® | Specializing in high-asset divorces
Turn Panic Into Power — $97Q: How are ultra-wealthy North Shore estates divided in Illinois divorce?
Under Illinois equitable distribution, North Shore properties purchased during marriage are divided "fairly"—not automatically 50/50. Kenilworth estates ($1.5M-$8M+) or Lake Forest lakefront ($2M-$10M+) require complex valuation. For 30-year marriages, courts typically award 50/50 division, but judges consider homemaker contributions heavily. At 60+, dividing a $5M Lake Forest estate means each spouse receives ~$2.5M equity, but replacing comparable North Shore real estate solo is impossible without additional substantial wealth.
Q: Can anyone afford the North Shore after divorce at 60+?
North Shore requires ultra-high-net-worth for solo ownership. Annual costs for $2M-$5M+ estates: property taxes ($40K-$100K+ Illinois rates), maintenance ($20K-$40K), utilities ($8K-$12K), insurance ($8K-$15K) = $100K-$200K+/year minimum. At 60+, solo North Shore living requires $3M-$5M+ total assets beyond the property itself. Most divorcees sell North Shore estates and relocate to Naperville, suburbs, or leave Illinois entirely for lower-tax states.
Q: How are CME/CBOE trading bonuses and compensation divided?
Chicago Mercantile Exchange and CBOE traders earn substantial bonuses: $200K-$1M+ annually in peak years. Under Illinois equitable distribution, bonuses earned during marriage are marital property divided fairly. Deferred compensation, unvested stock grants, and trading account balances all require division. At 60+, decades of CME trading create complex compensation structures—proper forensic accounting is critical to identify all marital assets and prevent hidden wealth.
Q: Should I relocate from Illinois after divorce to avoid taxes at 60+?
Illinois has crushing taxes: 4.95% flat income tax on pensions, property taxes 2-3% annually ($40K-$100K on North Shore estates), high sales tax. Many 60+ divorcees relocate to Florida (no income tax, 60% lower property taxes) or Arizona. Illinois taxes retirement income fully—relocating to no-tax states saves $10K-$30K+ annually. At 60+, can you justify Illinois's $80K-$120K annual costs on North Shore, or does relocating to Florida/Arizona preserve financial security while improving quality of life?
If you're over 50 and facing divorce on Chicago's North Shore, custody battles aren't your concern—your children are grown. Instead, you're dividing Kenilworth estates worth $1.5M-$8M+, Lake Forest lakefront properties $2M-$10M+, CME trading bonuses, and substantial assets under Illinois's equitable distribution.
The North Shore (Winnetka, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Glencoe) features America's highest wealth concentration per square mile.
You spent 30 years supporting the business. Raising the children so your spouse could work 80-hour weeks. Entertaining clients. Sacrificing your own career.
Now the business is worth $2 million — and you're supposed to accept whatever valuation your spouse's expert produces?
Business valuations aren't objective facts. They're arguments. And your spouse's expert will minimize value at every turn: discounts for lack of marketability, depressed revenue projections, "adjustments" that shave $500,000 off the number.
And that's just the business on the books. What about deferred compensation that vests next year? Earnouts from deals closed during marriage? Consulting agreements that are really salary by another name? Your spouse knows every dollar. You might not know these income streams exist.
You don't need to become an expert in business valuation. You need someone who knows where value hides, challenges low-ball numbers, and makes sure 30 years of your sweat equity aren't erased by creative accounting.
Kenilworth is one of America's wealthiest tiny villages:
Lake Forest features extreme lakefront wealth:
Winnetka represents classic North Shore wealth:
North Shore concentrates trading wealth:
Can you afford North Shore solo? $1M-$8M+ estates with $25K-$80K+/year property taxes are impossible on one income for most. Selling and relocating is common.
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, assets, 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
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