Gray Divorce Financial Specialist
Pensions, retirement accounts, 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 gray divorce for 50+
Turn Panic Into Power — $97If you're over 50 and facing divorce in South 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 building their own lives. Instead, your divorce centers entirely on dividing decades of accumulated wealth: pensions, 401(k)s, the family home, and everything you've worked 25-30 years to build together.
This is especially challenging if you've never personally managed the family finances. Perhaps your spouse handled the investments, retirement planning, and tax decisions while you focused on raising children or supporting their career. Now you're facing questions like:
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.
The difference between understanding your finances and not? It can easily be $100,000-$300,000 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 with South Jersey property taxes.
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 — $97South Jersey has a significant population of state and municipal employees:
For those new to managing finances: These pensions are marital property under NJ equitable distribution. The marital portion (earned during marriage) must be valued and divided — often through a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). A 25-year teaching career could mean a pension worth $500,000+ in present value.
South Jersey's economy includes significant healthcare and casino employment:
Healthcare workers often have 403(b) retirement accounts, deferred compensation, and employer stock options that require careful valuation during divorce.
More affordable than North Jersey, but still significant:
Key questions for gray divorce:
New Jersey uses equitable distribution — property divided "fairly" based on multiple factors (NOT automatic 50/50):
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.
Can you afford South Jersey solo? Property taxes of $8K-$15K/year plus maintenance make single-income homeownership challenging on retirement income.
Pension division complexity: State and municipal pensions require proper QDRO execution to preserve benefits.
Q: How are New Jersey state pensions divided in divorce?
Under NJ equitable distribution, state pensions (TPAF, PERS, PFRS) earned during marriage are marital property divided fairly. For 25-year careers, these pensions represent major retirement security worth $400K-$800K+ in present value. Dividing requires a QDRO filed with the NJ Division of Pensions & Benefits. At 60+, pension division means each spouse receives approximately 50% of the marital portion — reducing individual benefits but ensuring both spouses have retirement income.
Q: Can I afford to keep the house in Cherry Hill or Voorhees?
Cherry Hill and Voorhees homes require $8K-$12K+ annual property taxes plus $6K-$10K maintenance. On retirement income of $50K-$80K, this consumes 20-30% of gross income before utilities and insurance. Most 50+ divorcees must realistically assess: Is the house worth giving up $200K-$400K in retirement accounts? Many sell and downsize to more affordable South Jersey communities or relocate to lower-tax states.
Q: What about Social Security in a long-term marriage?
If married 10+ years, you can claim spousal Social Security benefits (up to 50% of ex-spouse's benefit) without affecting their benefit. At 62-70, Social Security claiming strategy becomes critical — do you claim early at a reduced rate or wait for higher benefits? This decision can mean $100,000+ difference over your lifetime. Gray divorce financial planning must integrate Social Security optimization with asset division.
South Jersey's combination of state pensions, healthcare industry benefits, and equitable distribution requires expert financial planning for 50+ divorces.
Turn Panic Into Power — $97 Schedule a Strategy Session