If you're over 50 and facing divorce in Albany or the Capital Region, custody battles aren't your concern—your children are grown, independent, or building careers elsewhere (perhaps working for the state themselves). Instead, you're navigating the financial complexity of dividing state government pensions, deferred compensation, real estate, and retirement accounts accumulated over decades of public service.
This is especially challenging if you've never personally managed household finances. Perhaps your spouse handled the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) pension, deferred compensation plan, or state benefits while you focused on family and home. 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 NYSLRS pension, only one of you has guaranteed 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.
Albany is the heart of New York State government. Thousands of 50+ residents have NYSLRS pensions from careers in state service:
Common state employers:
NYSLRS pension division:
Many state employees contribute to New York State Deferred Compensation Plan (457 plan):
New York State provides retiree healthcare to eligible employees. Divorce affects these benefits:
Albany-area real estate is affordable compared to downstate New York:
Desirable communities:
Property taxes: Moderate compared to NYC metro but still $5K-$12K/year on typical homes.
In Albany and the Capital Region, we work with clients divorcing after 20, 30, or 40+ years of state service. Here's what makes gray divorce financially complex:
If your spouse worked for New York State for 25-35 years, the pension is likely your most valuable asset:
State employees who maximized 457 contributions for 20-30 years may have $500K-$1.5M+ in deferred comp accounts. These are easier to divide than pensions but still require court orders.
Albany's cost of living is moderate, making retirement more affordable than NYC:
Many of our Albany clients—particularly spouses who didn't work for the state—have never personally navigated NYSLRS pension systems, deferred compensation plans, or state retiree benefits.
You're not alone: State government benefits are complex but learnable. We help you understand what you're entitled to and how to access it.
While our primary focus is gray divorce (50+ with grown children), some clients have high school or college-age children. New York child support applies. However, for most 50+ clients, children are independent.
As an Albany resident, your divorce follows New York equitable distribution law:
Maintenance (alimony): Formula-based with duration guidelines. After 30-year marriage, expect 10.5-15 years, not permanent.
Learn more about New York divorce laws and professional licenses →
We provide virtual divorce financial planning services throughout the Capital Region, including:
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
Instant access. 100% money-back guarantee.
Slow This Down Before It's Final — $97Whether you've managed state benefits for years or you're learning about NYSLRS pension division for the first time, we provide the education and guidance you need.
Before You Agree to Anything — $97 Slow This Down →