Gray Divorce Financial Specialist
University pensions, healthcare retirement, real estate — New York'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 Syracuse or Central New York, custody battles aren't your concern—your children are grown, graduated from Syracuse University or another college, or building careers elsewhere. Instead, you're navigating the financial complexity of dividing healthcare pensions, education benefits, real estate, and retirement accounts accumulated over decades in Central New York.
This is especially challenging if you've never personally managed household finances. Perhaps your spouse handled the pension from Upstate Medical University, Syracuse University benefits, or retirement accounts 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 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.
Syracuse's economy centers on healthcare and education. Many 50+ residents have pensions from:
Major employers:
Traditional defined benefit pensions provide lifetime income but require specialized division and survivor benefit decisions.
Syracuse has established medical and dental practices built over 25-30 year careers:
New York's unique rule: professional licenses ARE marital property. If you supported your spouse through Upstate Medical School, you're entitled to compensation for their enhanced earning capacity.
Syracuse real estate is very affordable compared to downstate New York:
Suburban Syracuse homes:
Low property taxes compared to downstate: Syracuse-area taxes are much lower than NYC metro, typically $4K-$10K/year.
Many Syracuse divorces involve Syracuse University employees or retirees with unique benefits:
In Syracuse and Central NY, we work with clients divorcing after 20, 30, or 40+ years of marriage. Here's what makes gray divorce financially complex:
If your spouse worked at Upstate Medical or Syracuse University for 25-35 years, the pension may be your most valuable asset:
Syracuse's cost of living is low compared to NYC, making retirement more affordable:
Syracuse medical practices are valuable but worth less than NYC practices due to smaller patient populations and lower fees. Still, a 30-year practice may be worth $500K-$1.5M.
Many of our Syracuse clients—particularly spouses who didn't work in healthcare or education—have never personally navigated TIAA-CREF accounts, university pension systems, or NYSTRS benefits.
You're not alone: Healthcare and education pension systems are learnable. We help you understand your benefits and how to access them.
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 a Syracuse 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 Central New York, including:
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 — $97Whether you've managed pension benefits for years or you're learning about healthcare pensions for the first time, we provide the education and guidance you need.
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