High-Net-Worth Divorce Specialist
Deferred compensation, corporate stock, real estate — New Jersey's 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 — $97If you're over 50 and facing divorce in Northern New Jersey, you're likely dealing with financial complexity that most people never encounter. Child custody battles typically aren't your main concern—your children are grown, in college, or launching their own careers. Instead, your divorce centers entirely on dividing decades of accumulated wealth, much of it in executive compensation, business interests, and real estate that didn't exist in traditional divorces.
This is especially challenging if you've never personally managed the family finances. Perhaps your spouse handled the stock options, deferred compensation, and retirement account decisions while you focused on raising children or supporting their career. Now you're facing questions like:
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.
The difference between understanding executive compensation and not? It can easily be $300,000-$500,000 in your final settlement.
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 — $97Northern New Jersey's economy features pharmaceutical executives, Wall Street commuters, and professional practice owners. This creates unique divorce challenges:
Deferred Compensation: Executive pay packages often include significant deferred compensation that vests over time. Under NJ equitable distribution, compensation earned during marriage is marital property—even if payment comes years later.
Stock Options & RSUs: Pharma companies (Merck, J&J, Bristol Myers Squibb) and Wall Street firms compensate heavily in equity. The "time rule" applies to determine what portion is marital property.
Professional Practice Value: Medical practices, law firms, and consulting businesses require complex valuation. Goodwill, accounts receivable, and future earnings all factor into what you're entitled to.
For those new to managing finances: If your spouse worked at a pharma company, Wall Street firm, or ran a professional practice, you need to understand these compensation types. They're often worth more than base salary.
Northern New Jersey has some of the highest property taxes in America. Average property taxes exceed $11,000 annually in Bergen County and $12,000+ in Morris County. Homes purchased 20-30 years ago have appreciated significantly while property taxes have skyrocketed.
Key questions for gray divorce:
Many Northern NJ residents commute to NYC for finance, consulting, and corporate positions with substantial bonus compensation:
Critical for divorce: Bonuses earned during marriage are marital property. But timing matters—bonuses for work performed during marriage but paid after separation require careful allocation.
New Jersey is one of the few states that still allows permanent (open durational) alimony for marriages of 20+ years:
For gray divorce: If you've been married 25-30+ years and didn't work, permanent alimony may be your most important asset. Proper negotiation is essential.
Can you afford Northern New Jersey solo? With property taxes exceeding $12,000/year and some of the highest costs of living in America, maintaining your lifestyle on one income requires careful planning. Many 50+ clients find they need to downsize or relocate.
Equitable distribution means 'fair' — not 'equal': New Jersey judges have discretion in how assets are divided. Factors include length of marriage, contributions (including homemaking), earning capacity, and age/health. A 50/50 split isn't guaranteed.
Hidden compensation is everywhere: Deferred comp, unvested stock, earn-outs, phantom equity, consulting agreements masquerading as salary. If your spouse ran the finances, you may not know what exists.
Whether you're dividing pharma stock, Wall Street bonuses, or a professional practice, you need to understand what you're entitled to under New Jersey's equitable distribution.
Turn Panic Into Power — $97 Schedule a Strategy Session