Retirement Divorce Specialist
Pensions, retirement accounts, mountain real estate — Oregon's equitable distribution requires expertise. This guide shows you what to protect.
Leanne Ozaine, CDFA® & CFP® | Specializing in gray divorce for 50+
Turn Panic Into Power — $97Q: Why is gray divorce in Bend financially complex?
Bend has become a major retirement destination with home prices surging to $600K-$1.5M+. Many 60+ couples relocated from California or other states, bringing substantial retirement savings and home equity. Dividing these assets while maintaining Bend's premium lifestyle on a single retirement income is challenging—outdoor recreation, mountain homes, and limited healthcare options create unique financial pressures.
Q: How does Oregon law affect Bend retiree divorces?
Oregon's equitable distribution applies to all marital property regardless of when you moved to Bend. If you relocated from California with $800K home equity and lived in Bend 10 years, that appreciation during Oregon residence is marital property. Courts divide fairly based on contributions, needs, and economic circumstances—at 60+, limited future earning capacity affects division significantly.
Q: Can I afford Bend's lifestyle after divorce at 60+?
Bend costs $3K-$5K+ monthly for housing alone (mortgage/property taxes $2K-$3K, utilities $300-$600, maintenance $500-$1K+). Add limited healthcare options before Medicare, outdoor recreation expenses, and Oregon's 9.9% income tax—many 60+ Bend divorcees cannot sustain the lifestyle solo without depleting retirement savings too fast.
Q: What about retirement accounts and pensions in Bend divorces?
Many Bend retirees have California or other state pensions, Oregon PERS if they worked locally, or substantial 401(k)/IRA accounts. Proper QDRO execution and tax planning across state lines is critical. At 60+, mistakes in pension division or retirement account splits cannot be recovered—you need every dollar for a 25-30 year retirement.
If you're over 50 and divorcing in Bend, custody battles aren't your issue—your children are grown. Instead, you're dividing the retirement lifestyle you built together: the mountain home you bought for outdoor recreation, retirement accounts from careers elsewhere, and determining whether one person can afford Bend's premium costs alone.
At 60+, you moved to Bend for the lifestyle. Skiing, hiking, mountain biking—this is your retirement dream. But can you afford it solo? Dividing assets means one or both of you may need to relocate, downsize, or fundamentally change the retirement you envisioned. These decisions are permanent.
You spent 40 years building retirement savings. Now you're dividing them in 6 months — at an age when there's no second chance.
If you're 65 and give up $200,000 in pension benefits you were entitled to, you're not going to make that back. There's no overtime at this stage. No side hustle. No waiting 15 years for the market to recover.
Oregon's equitable distribution means assets are divided "fairly" — not automatically 50/50. At 60+, limited future earning capacity affects division significantly. Asset division isn't about what looks equal on paper. It's about getting assets that generate income for 25 years.
Your pension has survivor benefit options. Your Social Security has spousal and ex-spousal claiming strategies. Your Bend home has a cost basis that affects capital gains. Every asset has rules — and getting them wrong costs more than you can afford.
You need someone who can project exactly what you'll live on for the next 25 years — before you sign anything you can't take back.
Bend attracts retirees and pre-retirees from across the country, particularly California, with careers in technology, healthcare, business, and professional services. Whether you relocated with retirement savings, sold a California home for Bend equity, or worked locally in outdoor industry, healthcare, or education—gray divorce in Bend means dividing:
No custody concerns—your children are independent. Your challenge is preserving enough assets for each person to sustain a comfortable retirement, ideally in Bend, for 20-30 years.
Can you keep the mountain lifestyle?
Many Bend couples sold California homes for $800K-$1.2M and bought Bend properties for $600K-$900K, banking the difference. But Bend prices surged—that $600K home is now $900K-$1.2M.
At 60+, keeping the Bend home means ongoing costs of $35K-$50K+ annually. Can your settlement support that, plus healthcare, travel, and outdoor recreation for 25-30 years? Or does the math force a move?
Oregon's equitable distribution divides assets fairly based on circumstances—not automatically 50/50. For Bend retirees, this means:
Oregon has no sales tax but 9.9% top income tax rate—affects retirement account withdrawals and pension income. Healthcare costs in Bend are higher than Portland due to limited providers.
Learn more about Oregon divorce laws →
Many Bend retirees moved from California, bringing complex asset situations:
California home equity: Sold Bay Area or SoCal home for $1M+, bought Bend property for $600K-$800K. That $200K-$400K difference—still in bank accounts or invested—is marital property if earned during marriage.
California pensions: CalPERS, CalSTRS pensions must be divided via QDRO under California rules even though you're divorcing in Oregon. Different states have different pension division laws—complexity matters.
Stock compensation: RSUs, stock options from California tech or corporate careers may still be vesting. Unvested grants earned during marriage are marital property requiring careful valuation.
At 60+, cross-state asset division errors cost you tens or hundreds of thousands. You need expertise in both Oregon and California rules.
Bend's appeal is outdoor recreation—but that costs money, and healthcare is limited:
Recreation costs: Ski passes $600-$1,500/year, bike/ski equipment $2K-$5K, outdoor gear replacement, recreation property maintenance. The lifestyle you moved here for costs $5K-$10K+ annually per person.
Healthcare challenges: Limited specialists, often traveling to Portland for care. Before Medicare at 65, healthcare costs $800-$1,500/month for 60-65 year-olds—higher than urban areas due to limited provider competition.
Aging in place concerns: Can you maintain a mountain home in your 70s and 80s? Snow removal, steep driveways, stairs—many Bend retirees eventually relocate. Should you sell now rather than later?
At 62 or 65, you can't rebuild your retirement savings. Every decision in your Bend divorce—whether to keep the mountain home, how to divide retirement accounts, whether both people can afford to stay in Bend—determines your financial security through age 90.
Before you agree to any settlement, you need clarity on:
The Fearless Divorce Guide shows you the real numbers for your Bend situation. You see whether keeping the mountain lifestyle bankrupts you by 75, or whether selling and relocating funds a secure 30-year retirement. Make decisions based on financial reality, not emotional attachment to location.
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 — $97You chose Bend for your retirement dream. Make sure your divorce settlement funds that dream securely, not just divides it.
Turn Panic Into Power — $97Schedule a Strategy Session