Energy & Corporate Specialist
Energy equity, deferred compensation, real estate — Texas is community property. This guide shows you exactly what to protect.
Leanne Ozaine, CDFA® & CFP® | Specializing in high-asset energy divorces
Turn Panic Into Power — $97If you're over 50 and facing divorce in Houston, custody battles aren't your concern—your children are grown, independent, or building careers in Houston's energy or medical sectors. Instead, you're navigating the financial complexity of dividing oil and gas royalties, energy sector pensions, medical practice assets, international business interests, and real estate accumulated over decades in one of America's most economically diverse cities.
This is especially overwhelming if you've never personally managed the household finances. Perhaps your spouse handled oil and gas investments, energy company stock, medical practice finances, or royalty distributions while you focused on family and home. Now you're facing questions like:
Phantom stock. Deferred comp. Carried interest. Working interests. You've heard these terms for years. You know they're valuable.
But do you actually understand what they are? Which royalty interests are producing? What portion of that deferred compensation has vested? How is carried interest valued when there's no public market? What happens to the partnership K-1 income after divorce?
Your spouse has lived with these compensation structures for 15-20 years. They understand production schedules, distribution waterfalls, and tax implications.
You're seeing these documents for the first time — while negotiating a settlement that could be worth $2-5 million.
Energy and business compensation isn't magic. It's deliberately complex — but complex has solutions. You need someone who can decode the K-1 statements, translate the royalty agreements, and show you exactly what's community property under Texas law.
The difference between understanding energy wealth and not? It can easily be $500,000-$1,000,000 in your final settlement.
Houston is the global headquarters for the energy industry. Thousands of 50+ professionals have spent entire careers in oil and gas, creating unique assets:
Energy sector assets to divide:
For those new to energy finance: Oil and gas assets are volatile, complex, and often illiquid. Understanding production schedules, commodity price impacts, depletion allowances, and proper valuation methods is critical.
The Texas Medical Center is the world's largest medical complex. Thousands of physicians, surgeons, and healthcare executives have built substantial wealth:
Medical practice valuation:
Texas law includes professional goodwill in practice valuations, meaning the intangible value of reputation, patient lists, and future earning capacity is divisible community property.
Houston's energy industry attracts international companies and executives. Many gray divorce cases involve:
Houston real estate has appreciated significantly in high-end areas, despite boom-bust cycles tied to oil prices:
Affluent Houston neighborhoods:
Real estate purchased during the 1990s-2000s oil booms may have appreciated substantially despite periodic downturns.
Houston divorces follow Texas's flexible "just and right" standard. Courts consider:
For gray divorce: After 25-30 years supporting your spouse's energy career (including relocations to Houston, international assignments, and volatile industry cycles), you may argue for more than 50% based on contributions.
In Houston, we work with clients divorcing after 20, 30, or 40+ years of marriage. Here's what makes gray divorce financially complex in this region:
Houston's economy—and many family finances—rise and fall with oil prices. For gray divorce:
Texas Medical Center physicians often have multiple income sources:
All income earned during marriage contributes to community property accumulation.
Remember: Texas has extremely limited alimony. Even after 30 years of marriage in Houston's energy or medical sectors, court-ordered alimony is capped at $5,000/month for maximum 10 years. You cannot rely on alimony—property division (including oil/gas interests and real estate) is critical.
Many of our Houston clients—particularly spouses of energy executives—have never personally managed royalty interests, commodity-linked investments, or oil and gas partnerships.
You're not alone: Energy finance is complex, but it's learnable. We help you understand what you have, how it generates income, and how to manage volatility.
While our primary focus is gray divorce (50+ with grown children), some clients have high school or college-age children. Texas uses guideline percentages, and Houston energy/medical incomes mean support amounts can be substantial. However, for most 50+ clients, children are independent.
As a Houston resident, your divorce follows Texas community property law with "just and right" division:
Very limited alimony: Maximum $5,000/month for maximum 10 years. Asset division is everything.
Learn more about Texas divorce laws and limited alimony →
We provide virtual divorce financial planning services throughout Houston, 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 — $97Your lawyer handles the legal battle. But lawyers don't know what you'll live on for the next 30 years. Get the financial clarity you need before you sign anything you can't take back.
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