Gray Divorce Financial Specialist
Auto pensions, retirement accounts, real estate — Michigan's equitable distribution requires expertise. This guide shows you exactly what you're entitled to.
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 the 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.
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
$97
Instant access. 100% money-back guarantee.
Get the Clarity You Need — $97If you're over 50 and facing divorce in Michigan, you're likely dealing with something most people don't talk about: the complete shift in your financial future when decades of accumulated wealth is on the line. Your children may be grown and financially independent, which means your entire divorce becomes about protecting and dividing assets built over 30+ years of marriage.
This is especially overwhelming if you've never personally managed the household finances—and you're certainly not alone. Many of our Michigan clients are navigating complex financial decisions for the first time during divorce, often involving auto industry pensions from Ford, GM, or Stellantis, healthcare benefits from major systems like Beaumont or Henry Ford Health, or substantial wealth concentrated in Oakland County.
Why Michigan is different: Michigan uses equitable distribution (not the strict 50/50 split of community property states), and courts tend to favor more equal division in longer marriages. Plus, Michigan law allows for permanent spousal support in long-term marriages—which can significantly impact your financial future whether you're paying or receiving it.
The fear-to-strength progression: Right now, you might be feeling panic about losing half of everything you've worked for, or anxiety about whether you'll be financially secure on your own. That's normal. But here's what we do together: we turn that panic into power by understanding exactly what Michigan law means for YOUR situation, protecting your separate property, navigating complex auto industry pensions, and building a post-divorce financial plan that gives you confidence and security.
Here's what that really means for your situation: Unlike California or Texas where community property rules apply, Michigan courts divide marital property based on what's "fair" under your specific circumstances—not automatically 50/50.
However, there's a critical pattern in Michigan law: For longer marriages (especially 20+ years), Michigan courts tend to favor division that approaches equality. The longer you've been married, the more likely the split will be closer to 50/50. This is particularly important for gray divorce cases.
What counts as marital property in Michigan:
What counts as separate property in Michigan:
The equitable distribution factors Michigan courts consider:
Important Note: Michigan is a "no-fault" divorce state. Unlike some states, marital fault or misconduct is generally NOT considered in property division. Adultery, for example, won't affect how assets are divided (though it may impact custody if children are involved).
This is critical for gray divorce cases: While Michigan law doesn't mandate a 50/50 split, Michigan courts have established a pattern of dividing marital property more equally in long-term marriages.
What this means for you:
Example: If you've been married 32 years and one spouse worked at Ford while the other managed the home and raised children, Michigan courts will likely view both contributions as equal and divide the Ford pension, 401(k), home equity, and other marital assets close to 50/50.
The strategic implication: For gray divorce cases, the key isn't usually arguing for an unequal split—it's making sure ALL marital property is properly identified and valued, and that separate property is protected. The division will likely be close to equal; the question is what goes into each column.
Michigan is home to the "Big Three" automakers (Ford, General Motors, Stellantis), and auto industry pensions represent some of the most complex assets in gray divorce.
What makes auto pensions different:
Critical questions for division:
The QDRO complication: Dividing auto industry pensions requires a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO), and each company has specific requirements and processing times that can delay your divorce settlement.
Michigan allows permanent spousal support—and this can be a major factor in gray divorce cases where one spouse has significantly lower earning capacity.
How Michigan determines spousal support:
Types of spousal support in Michigan:
For gray divorce, permanent support is more common because:
Tax consideration: For divorces finalized after December 31, 2018, spousal support is NO LONGER tax-deductible for the payor or taxable income for the recipient (due to federal tax law changes). This significantly impacts the economics of spousal support.
Oakland County is one of the wealthiest counties in Michigan and the 12th wealthiest county in the United States. Gray divorce in Oakland County often involves:
High-value real estate:
Complex business interests:
Executive compensation packages:
Why this matters: High-net-worth divorces in Oakland County require sophisticated valuation of complex assets, understanding of executive compensation structures, and strategies to minimize tax consequences of division.
Michigan has major healthcare systems (Beaumont Health, Henry Ford Health System, University of Michigan Health, Spectrum Health), and healthcare industry benefits create unique divorce planning issues.
Common healthcare industry benefits in gray divorce:
Valuation challenges:
Healthcare professional licensing: Michigan courts generally do NOT treat professional licenses or degrees as divisible property, but the enhanced earning capacity from that education is considered when dividing other assets and determining spousal support.
The Detroit metropolitan area has significant wealth concentration in specific communities and industries. Understanding these regional factors helps you plan your post-divorce financial life.
Automotive wealth centers:
Professional wealth centers:
Financial planning considerations by region:
Michigan has a flat 4.25% state income tax, which creates both advantages and strategic considerations in divorce financial planning.
What the flat tax means for your divorce:
Strategic implications:
Planning tip: Because Michigan has a flat tax, focus your tax planning on federal tax implications and timing of income recognition rather than trying to arbitrage state tax brackets (which don't exist in Michigan).
After working with hundreds of divorcing clients over 50 in Michigan, here are the most common (and costly) mistakes I see:
You're not just getting generic financial advice—you're getting Michigan-specific expertise that understands:
My role as your Certified Divorce Financial Analyst:
Looking for information specific to your local area? Explore our metro-specific pages:
You don't have to navigate Michigan divorce financial planning alone. Whether you're facing complex auto industry pensions, permanent spousal support decisions, or Oakland County high-net-worth asset division, I'm here to help you move from overwhelm to confidence.
Turn Panic Into Power — $97 Get Your Financial Strategy SessionCertified Divorce Financial Analyst | Fiduciary Financial Planner | Michigan Gray Divorce Specialist