Gray Divorce Financial Specialist
Pensions, retirement accounts, real estate — Rhode Island'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 the Providence metro area, you're navigating a unique financial landscape shaped by the city's remarkable transformation. Whether you live on College Hill's historic East Side, in the gentrified Jewelry District, or in Barrington's waterfront neighborhoods, your divorce involves assets that have appreciated dramatically over the past 25 years.
Providence's unique complexity: This isn't just another New England city. Providence combines Ivy League academic wealth (Brown University), world-class arts institutions (RISD, Trinity Rep), major healthcare systems (Lifespan, Care New England), and the legacy of jewelry manufacturing—all concentrated in America's smallest state capital.
What this means for your gray divorce: Your marital assets likely include some combination of university benefits, healthcare pensions, appreciated real estate in rapidly gentrified neighborhoods, and possibly creative professional income that's difficult to value. You need financial guidance that understands Providence's specific economic ecosystem.
The fear-to-strength progression: Right now, you might be panicking about losing your East Side home, understanding your spouse's Brown pension, or figuring out how to maintain your lifestyle on one income. That's completely normal. Together, we turn that panic into power by understanding exactly what your Providence assets are worth and building a post-divorce financial plan that works for YOUR life.
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 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 — $97Brown University is Providence's largest private employer, and Brown employees often have some of the most valuable—and complex—benefit packages in Rhode Island. If you or your spouse works at Brown, these benefits are likely central to your divorce settlement.
Brown retirement benefits:
Brown tuition benefits:
Healthcare and other benefits:
Faculty-specific considerations:
Critical timeline considerations:
If your spouse is close to retirement from Brown, timing your divorce carefully can make a six-figure difference in your settlement:
For those new to finances: A 403(b) is like a 401(k) but for nonprofit and education employees. Brown contributes 10% of your salary, which is exceptionally generous. If your spouse earns $100,000, Brown is adding $10,000 to retirement savings annually—money that may be partially yours in divorce.
RISD faculty and staff have compensation packages similar to Brown but with unique considerations around artistic income and intellectual property.
RISD-specific divorce issues:
Providence has a thriving creative economy—artists, designers, architects, musicians—and valuing creative professional income in divorce requires special expertise.
Challenges with creative income:
Documentation is critical: Tax returns, bank statements, PayPal/Venmo records, and commission agreements become essential evidence for establishing income.
Providence is a major healthcare hub, with Lifespan (Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Newport Hospital) and Care New England (Women & Infants Hospital, Butler Hospital, Kent Hospital) employing thousands of people with valuable benefits.
Healthcare employee divorce considerations:
Private practice valuation:
If your spouse owns a private medical, dental, or therapy practice in Providence, the practice itself is a marital asset requiring professional valuation:
The East Side of Providence—encompassing College Hill, Fox Point, Blackstone, Wayland, and Hope neighborhoods—represents some of the most desirable and expensive real estate in Rhode Island.
If you own property on the East Side, this is likely your largest marital asset, and its division will define your post-divorce financial security.
What makes East Side property valuable:
Appreciation over time: East Side homes have appreciated dramatically over the past 25+ years. A home purchased in the 1990s for $200,000 may now be worth $800,000-$1,200,000+ depending on location and condition.
The most prestigious East Side neighborhood
Benefit Street, Power Street, and surrounding historic streets feature 18th century architecture and premium prices.
Typical values: $700,000 - $2,000,000+
Divorce considerations: Historic homes require expensive specialized maintenance. Can you afford this on one income?
Waterfront neighborhood with gentrification appreciation
Once an affordable Portuguese neighborhood, Fox Point has gentrified dramatically with water views and Brown proximity.
Typical values: $500,000 - $1,200,000
Divorce considerations: If you bought before gentrification, your appreciation may be substantial.
Family-friendly with Blackstone Park access
Larger homes with yards, excellent schools (Hope High School), and park access.
Typical values: $600,000 - $1,500,000
Divorce considerations: Great for families but may be too large/expensive for one person post-divorce.
Northeastern edge of East Side
More affordable than College Hill while maintaining East Side amenities and school access.
Typical values: $450,000 - $900,000
Divorce considerations: May be more affordable to keep on one income while maintaining East Side lifestyle.
If you own an East Side home, you face three basic options:
Option 1: Sell and split proceeds
Option 2: One spouse buys out the other
Option 3: Deferred sale (keep jointly temporarily)
Downtown Providence and the Jewelry District have undergone remarkable transformation since the 1990s. If you bought property in these areas 15-25 years ago, your appreciation is likely substantial.
Divorce considerations:
Providence's historic Italian neighborhood has gentrified while maintaining its cultural character. Property values have appreciated significantly.
Divorce considerations:
Many Providence professionals live in surrounding towns with excellent schools and waterfront access.
Barrington (East Bay):
East Greenwich:
Providence has a significant financial services presence, including Fidelity Investments, Citizens Bank, Bank of America, and insurance companies. These employers offer complex compensation packages that require careful analysis in divorce.
Financial services compensation issues:
Stock compensation specifics:
Providence—particularly the East Side—has a high cost of living that significantly impacts post-divorce financial planning.
Property taxes:
Housing costs:
Healthcare costs:
Rhode Island state income tax:
Providence's renaissance has created a vibrant cultural scene, and many gray divorce clients have memberships, subscriptions, and involvement with cultural institutions that have both financial and social value.
Cultural considerations in Providence divorce:
Social capital matters: In Providence's small, interconnected community, social relationships and institutional affiliations have real value beyond dollars. Who gets to maintain which relationships post-divorce affects both parties' quality of life.
You don't have to navigate Providence divorce finances alone. Let's turn your fear into financial strength.
Turn Panic Into Power — $97 Schedule Your Consultation