Gray Divorce Financial Specialist
Pensions, retirement accounts, real estate — New Hampshire'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 — $97You've spent decades building a life together. Now you're facing divorce and suddenly need to understand pensions, retirement accounts, New Hampshire's unique property division rules, and tax implications — all while processing one of the most stressful events of your life.
Every day women over 50 make settlement decisions that cost them $50,000, $100,000, or more because they didn't understand what they were entitled to. NH courts can divide ALL property — even inheritances. Without knowing the rules, you could leave thousands on the table or fight for assets you can't actually afford to keep.
You don't need to become a financial expert overnight. You need a clear, step-by-step system that shows you exactly what to gather, what questions to ask, and how to see your post-divorce financial picture BEFORE you sign anything.
If you're over 50 and facing divorce in New Hampshire, you're in a unique position. New Hampshire has the second-highest median age in the country (43.3 years)—which means gray divorce isn't just common here, it's central to our community's reality. Many people retire TO New Hampshire specifically for the tax advantages, especially from high-tax Massachusetts. Your children are likely grown and independent, which means your entire divorce becomes about protecting decades of accumulated wealth and maximizing your tax-advantaged retirement years.
This is especially overwhelming if you've never personally managed the household finances—and you're certainly not alone. Many of our New Hampshire clients are navigating complex financial decisions for the first time during divorce, often involving stock options from tech companies, coastal real estate in Portsmouth or Lake Winnipesaukee properties, Massachusetts retirement pensions, healthcare industry benefits, or investment portfolios built specifically to take advantage of New Hampshire's no-income-tax environment.
Why New Hampshire is different: New Hampshire has an unusual equitable distribution system that gives courts power to divide ALL property (even separate property brought into the marriage or inherited), no earned income tax (critical for retirement planning), a dividend/interest tax being phased out by 2027, and fault-based alimony rules where marital misconduct can completely bar alimony. Plus, as a retirement destination for Massachusetts residents fleeing high taxes, many NH divorces involve cross-border pension issues and tax planning complexity.
The fear-to-strength progression: Right now, you might be feeling panic about losing the Lake Winnipesaukee summer home, confusion about dividing tech stock options, worry about Massachusetts pension taxation post-divorce, or concern about maintaining your tax-advantaged retirement lifestyle on one income. That's normal. But here's what we do together: we turn that panic into power by understanding exactly what New Hampshire's unique property division rules mean for YOUR situation, protecting your tax advantages, and building a post-divorce financial plan that gives you confidence and security—whether you're a native Granite Stater or retired here from Massachusetts.
This is NEW HAMPSHIRE'S MOST IMPORTANT AND UNUSUAL FEATURE: Unlike most equitable distribution states that only divide "marital property," New Hampshire courts have the power to divide ALL property owned by either spouse—including property brought into the marriage, inheritances, and gifts.
What this really means:
When courts divide separate property:
What counts as property subject to division in New Hampshire:
The equitable distribution factors New Hampshire courts consider:
For gray divorce: In a 30-year marriage where both spouses are in their 60s, even property one spouse brought into the marriage or inherited might be divided. The long duration of the marriage, retirement age considerations, and economic realities often lead courts to look at the ENTIRE asset pool—not just what was acquired during marriage.
New Hampshire is one of the few states where marital fault can completely eliminate alimony.
Under New Hampshire law (RSA 458:19), the court SHALL NOT award alimony to a spouse who:
What this means in plain English: If you committed adultery and your spouse did not, you are BARRED from receiving alimony—regardless of your financial need or the length of the marriage. The court has no discretion to award alimony in this situation.
Important nuances:
For gray divorce: This fault rule has enormous financial implications. If you're financially dependent on your spouse and hoping for alimony, any marital misconduct on your part (especially adultery) could cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in lifetime support. Conversely, if your spouse had an affair and you're the higher earner, this rule protects you from paying alimony.
Strategic considerations: Understanding the fault-based alimony bar is critical before filing. In some cases, how you frame the divorce grounds and what evidence you present about marital conduct can determine whether alimony is even on the table.
New Hampshire is one of only a few states with NO tax on earned income (wages, salaries, self-employment income, or retirement distributions). This creates unique gray divorce considerations, especially for couples who retired to NH from high-tax states like Massachusetts.
What's NOT taxed in New Hampshire:
What IS taxed (but being phased out):
Gray divorce tax planning implications:
Massachusetts retiree scenario: You worked 30 years for Massachusetts employer, retired to NH five years ago to avoid MA income tax, now divorcing. Your Massachusetts state pension is NOT taxed in NH (huge savings). If you move back to Massachusetts post-divorce, that pension becomes taxable. Understanding residency implications is critical.
New Hampshire also has no general sales tax, making it one of the most tax-friendly states in the country for retirement. Combined with no income tax, this creates substantial cost-of-living advantages—but only if you can afford NH's high property taxes and overall cost of living on one post-divorce income.
Post-divorce budget reality check:
Can you afford to stay? Many gray divorce cases hinge on whether one or both spouses can maintain NH residence post-divorce. The tax advantages are substantial, but property costs are high. Careful cash flow analysis is essential.
Many New Hampshire residents worked in Massachusetts and receive MA state or local government pensions, or private sector pensions from MA employers. This creates unique tax considerations in divorce.
Key Massachusetts pension divorce issues:
Critical planning point: The tax savings of NH residency might be worth $5,000-$15,000 annually for someone with a substantial MA pension. In settlement negotiations, agreeing to stay in NH (or negotiating financial compensation for relocating to MA) can be a valuable bargaining chip.
Southern New Hampshire (especially Manchester-Nashua corridor) has developed a significant technology sector, and many NH residents work remotely for Boston-area tech companies or commute to MA. Tech compensation creates unique divorce challenges.
New Hampshire tech sector divorce considerations:
Common scenario: Your spouse works for a Boston tech company remotely from southern NH. They earn $180,000 salary plus $100,000/year in RSUs vesting over 4 years. They also have stock options worth $300,000 if exercised (but triggering capital gains). How do you divide this compensation, especially the unvested portions? And how does the no-income-tax advantage of NH residence factor into negotiations?
For those new to finances: Stock options and RSUs are forms of compensation where your employer gives you company stock instead of cash. The value fluctuates with stock price, they typically "vest" (become yours) over several years, and they create complex tax situations. Understanding these assets is essential when your spouse works in tech.
New Hampshire has significant healthcare employment through systems like Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Catholic Medical Center, Elliot Hospital, and numerous specialty practices. Healthcare industry employment creates complex benefits requiring careful division.
NH healthcare industry divorce issues:
Dartmouth-Hitchcock employment scenario: Your spouse is a physician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock with a base salary of $280,000, plus production bonuses averaging $60,000, 403(b) balance of $800,000, and retiree health benefits if they stay until age 62. How do we value the retiree health benefit? What happens to production bonuses in income calculations? How does the practice structure affect division?
New Hampshire's 18-mile coastline is among the most expensive real estate in New England. Portsmouth, Rye, Hampton, and surrounding coastal towns have experienced extraordinary appreciation, often representing the couple's largest asset in gray divorce.
NH coastal real estate divorce challenges:
Common scenario: You've lived in a Rye beach home for 25 years. Purchased for $400,000, now worth $1.4M. Annual property taxes: $28,000. You're 62 and living on retirement income. Can you afford $28K/year in taxes plus maintenance on one income? Or should you sell and downsize? The tax-free retirement income in NH is valuable, but only if you can afford to stay.
New Hampshire's Lakes Region—particularly Lake Winnipesaukee—represents significant recreational property wealth for many gray divorce cases. These properties often have enormous sentimental value and substantial appreciation.
Lakes Region property divorce considerations:
Emotional complexity: Lake properties often carry profound emotional significance—summer memories with children and grandchildren, decades of family gatherings. The financial decision (keep vs. sell) is often agonizing. We help you make this decision based on FINANCIAL reality while honoring the emotional weight.
Many New Hampshire residents specifically retired TO NH from Massachusetts to escape MA's 5% income tax. Gray divorce for this population creates unique cross-border financial and residency issues.
Massachusetts-to-NH retiree divorce issues:
Financial trade-off analysis: Staying in NH saves you 5% state income tax on all retirement distributions. But NH property taxes are higher, you may be far from family support, and healthcare access might be more limited. For some people, the tax savings of $8,000-$15,000 annually justify staying in NH. For others, proximity to grandchildren and family support in MA outweighs tax savings. We help you quantify these trade-offs and make an informed decision.
Select your area for location-specific financial guidance:
At 50+, your divorce isn't about child custody schedules or building careers—it's about protecting decades of accumulated wealth and securing your retirement. New Hampshire's unique combination of broad property division powers, fault-based alimony rules, and extraordinary tax advantages for retirees creates a financial planning environment unlike any other state.
Common New Hampshire gray divorce scenarios we address:
The "Live Free or Die" financial reality: New Hampshire offers tremendous financial freedom through its tax policies—but that freedom requires careful planning in divorce to preserve. Between property division rules that reach ALL assets, fault-based alimony bars, and cross-border tax complexity, NH gray divorce demands specialized expertise.
Right now, you might be feeling some combination of fear, anger, grief, and financial panic. That's completely normal. Divorce after 50—especially in a state with NH's unique rules—is overwhelming.
Here's what we do together:
You don't need to become a financial expert overnight. You need a guide who understands both New Hampshire's unique divorce laws AND sophisticated financial planning for people over 50. That's exactly what we provide.
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
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