Tech & Corporate Specialist
Tech compensation, corporate equity, real estate — Oregon's equitable distribution requires expertise. This guide shows you exactly what you're entitled to.
Leanne Ozaine, CDFA® & CFP® | Specializing in tech and gray divorce
Turn Panic Into Power — $97Q: What makes Portland divorce different for 50+ couples?
Portland metro couples over 50 face unique challenges: substantial home appreciation ($500K-$900K+ homes in desirable neighborhoods), Oregon PERS pensions requiring specialized division, and tech/healthcare stock compensation accumulated over decades. At 60+, you're not dividing custody—you're splitting decades of home equity and retirement assets with no time to rebuild.
Q: How does Oregon's equitable distribution affect Portland divorces?
Oregon divides marital property fairly, not automatically 50/50. For Portland couples married 25-35 years, courts consider contributions, future earning capacity (limited at 60+), and economic circumstances. Homes that cost $300K in 2000 and are now worth $700K+ must be divided—the appreciation is marital property even if purchased before marriage in some cases.
Q: What happens to Oregon PERS pensions in divorce?
Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) pensions earned during marriage are marital property. State employees, teachers, university staff—PERS pensions worth $2K-$4K+ monthly for life must be divided via QDRO. At 60+, this is your retirement income—proper division timing and tax strategies are critical.
Q: Can I afford to stay in Portland after divorce?
Portland's cost of living challenges many 60+ divorcees. Median home prices $550K-$900K+, property taxes $6K-$12K annually, Oregon state income tax up to 9.9%—your settlement needs to fund 20-30 years of retirement. Many Portland divorcees relocate to lower-cost areas or downsize significantly to make retirement math work.
If you're over 50 and divorcing in Portland, custody isn't your concern—your children are grown and independent. Instead, you're dividing Portland real estate that's appreciated dramatically, retirement accounts from tech or healthcare careers, Oregon PERS pensions, and stock compensation accumulated over 30 years.
At 60+, every financial decision is permanent. There's no second career to rebuild wealth. Selling the $700K home you bought for $350K. Splitting the 401(k). Timing Social Security and PERS benefits. These choices determine your financial security through age 90—get them wrong and you risk poverty in your 70s and 80s.
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. Nike RSUs aren't the same as Intel stock options. Tax treatment turns "half" into 40% or 60% depending on which half you take.
Your lawyer knows Oregon 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.
Your spouse's compensation isn't just a paycheck. It's RSUs that vest over four years. Stock options with complex exercise windows. Deferred compensation that doesn't pay out for a decade. Intel grants, Nike equity, startup shares that might be worth millions — or nothing.
Most attorneys don't understand this. They see a W-2 and miss the real wealth. They don't know which grants were earned during marriage. They can't calculate what unvested RSUs are actually worth today. They miss the 409A deferred comp hiding in plain sight.
The result? You walk away thinking you got half — when you actually got 30%. Or worse: you agreed to take the house instead of stock that's about to triple. One bad trade can cost you $200K or more. At 60+, you can't make that back.
The solution: Before you sign anything, you need to know exactly what every piece of compensation is worth — in plain English, not corporate jargon.
Portland metro professionals in technology, healthcare, education, outdoor industry, and creative sectors have built substantial assets over decades. Whether you work in tech, at a regional healthcare system, in education, or across hundreds of companies throughout the metro area—gray divorce in Portland means dividing:
No custody battles—your children are grown. Your challenge is splitting one Portland lifestyle into two financially sustainable retirements when you can't rebuild wealth.
Massive equity—but can you afford to keep it?
Many Portland couples bought homes for $250K-$400K that are now worth $650K-$900K. That's $400K-$500K in equity—life-changing money. But keeping the house means ongoing costs of $20K-$30K+ annually.
At 60+, can your retirement income sustain Portland housing costs for 25-30 years? Or would selling, investing the proceeds, and relocating to a lower-cost state give you financial freedom?
Oregon uses equitable distribution, meaning assets are divided fairly based on multiple factors—not automatically 50/50. For Portland couples, this means:
Oregon has no sales tax (helpful for retirement spending) but high income tax (9.9% top rate) that affects retirement account withdrawals and PERS pension income.
Learn more about Oregon divorce laws →
If you or your spouse worked for Oregon state government, school districts, universities, or public agencies, Oregon PERS is a major marital asset:
PERS benefits: Tier 1, Tier 2, and OPSRP members have different benefit structures. Many long-term employees have pensions worth $2K-$4K+ monthly for life—that's $24K-$48K+ annually, potentially $500K-$1M+ in lifetime value.
Division complexity: PERS requires specific QDRO language. Timing matters—should the non-employee spouse take a lump sum buyout or receive monthly payments? Tax implications differ significantly.
At 60+, PERS is retirement security: You can't replace a $3K/month lifetime pension. Proper division, tax planning, and coordination with Social Security strategies can mean the difference between comfortable retirement and financial struggle.
Portland metro professionals in tech, healthcare, and corporate sectors often have complex compensation:
Stock compensation: RSUs, stock options, restricted stock from employers throughout the metro area. Multi-year vesting complicates division—unvested grants earned during marriage are still marital property.
Deferred compensation: Non-qualified deferred comp plans that pay out over 5-15 years. At 60+, timing these payouts affects your tax bracket significantly.
Healthcare benefits: If one spouse has employer healthcare until Medicare at 65, losing it in divorce costs $800-$1,500/month. Who covers the 60-65 gap matters financially.
These assets aren't simple. A poorly negotiated settlement can cost you six figures in unnecessary taxes and lost benefits.
At 62 or 65, you don't have 30 years to recover from financial mistakes. Every choice in your Portland divorce—whether to keep the appreciated home, how to divide retirement accounts and PERS pension, when to claim Social Security—determines whether you're financially secure or struggling at 85.
Before you agree to any settlement, you need to see:
The Fearless Divorce Guide shows you the actual numbers for your Portland situation. You see whether keeping the $750K house bankrupts you by 80, or whether selling and investing the proceeds funds a secure 30-year retirement. Make decisions based on math, not emotion.
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 built wealth over decades in Portland. Make sure your divorce settlement funds your retirement, not just divides your past.
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