Here'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.
If you're over 50 and facing divorce in New Jersey, you're in a state with unique financial challenges and opportunities. Your divorce likely isn't about custody battles—your children are grown and independent. Instead, your divorce centers on dividing pharmaceutical industry wealth, corporate pensions, and high-value real estate under New Jersey's equitable distribution with permanent alimony still available for long marriages.
What makes New Jersey unique: NJ is one of few states still offering permanent alimony for marriages 20+ years, has the nation's highest property taxes (average $9,490/year), concentrates pharmaceutical industry wealth (Merck, J&J, Bristol Myers Squibb), and features some of America's most expensive real estate in Bergen and Morris counties.
New Jersey presents unique gray divorce financial complexities that require expert planning.
For gray divorce: High taxes and expensive housing make post-divorce budgets extremely challenging without expert planning.
New Jersey uses equitable distribution—property divided "fairly" based on multiple factors (NOT automatic 50/50):
Factors courts consider:
Marital property (subject to division):
New Jersey is one of few states still offering permanent alimony:
This is CRITICAL for gray divorce: receiving or paying permanent alimony fundamentally changes retirement planning.
New Jersey is "Medicine Chest of the World":
Pharma employees often have complex compensation: base salary + stock options + RSUs + pension + 401(k). All equity and retirement accumulated during marriage is marital property.
New Jersey has the nation's highest property taxes:
Post-divorce reality: Can you afford your home's property taxes on one income? Many 50+ clients must sell and relocate to lower-tax states.
New Jersey has high state income tax on top of federal:
This creates massive tax burden in retirement compared to no-tax states like Florida or Nevada.
Highest median income in NJ, NYC commuters, luxury real estate, very high property taxes, corporate executives.
Learn more →Pharma headquarters (Merck), highest property taxes, corporate wealth, upscale suburban living.
Learn more →Shore towns, luxury coastal living, NYC/Philly commuters, high real estate values.
Learn more →Princeton University area, pharma (J&J, BMS), academic wealth, upscale living.
Learn more →In a divorce, dividing assets is only step one. This helps you understand how those assets will actually support your life.
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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Slow This Down Before It's Final — $97New Jersey's combination of permanent alimony, highest property taxes, and pharma wealth requires expert financial planning for 50+ divorces.
Before You Agree to Anything — $97Slow This Down →