Gray Divorce Financial Specialist
Pensions, retirement accounts, real estate — Utah'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 — $97Here'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 Utah 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 — $97If you're over 50 and facing divorce in Utah, you're navigating one of America's fastest-growing tech corridors combined with unique family values. Your divorce likely isn't about custody battles—your children may be grown and financially independent. Instead, your entire divorce centers on dividing Silicon Slopes tech equity, outdoor recreation industry assets, healthcare sector wealth, and substantial retirement accounts accumulated over decades.
This is especially complex if you've never personally managed the household finances—and you're certainly not alone. Many of our Utah clients are facing financial decisions for the first time during divorce, often involving tech startup stock options from companies like Qualtrics or Adobe, real estate appreciation in Draper or Cottonwood Heights, or retirement savings built over 25+ year careers in healthcare or outdoor recreation industries.
Why Utah is different: Utah uses equitable distribution (not the strict 50/50 split of community property states), has a flat 4.65% state income tax, and courts generally limit spousal support to the length of the marriage or less. Plus, Utah's booming Silicon Slopes tech corridor creates unique equity compensation issues that most divorce attorneys aren't equipped to handle alone.
The fear-to-strength progression: Right now, you might be feeling panic about losing tech stock options, real estate wealth, or retirement security. That's normal. But here's what we do together: we turn that panic into power by understanding exactly what Utah law means for YOUR situation, properly valuing tech equity, and building a post-divorce financial plan that gives you confidence and security.
Here's what that really means for your situation: Unlike California, Texas, or Arizona where community property rules apply, Utah courts divide marital property based on what's "fair" under your specific circumstances—not automatically 50/50.
What counts as marital property in Utah:
What counts as separate property in Utah:
The equitable distribution factors Utah courts consider:
Unlike many states with progressive tax brackets, Utah has a simple flat 4.65% income tax on all income levels.
Why this matters for gray divorce:
Comparison: In California, you might pay up to 13.3% state tax on the same income. Utah's flat tax makes post-divorce financial planning more predictable and generally more favorable for those with substantial assets.
Utah's tech boom—centered in the "Silicon Slopes" corridor from Lehi to Draper—creates unique divorce complexities around equity compensation that most people don't understand until they're facing it.
Major Silicon Slopes employers with complex equity:
Critical equity compensation questions:
For those new to finances: Stock options give you the right to buy company stock at a set price. RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) are actual shares given to you on a vesting schedule. Both earned during marriage are marital property, but dividing them requires expert analysis to avoid catastrophic tax mistakes.
Utah's Wasatch Front real estate market has seen explosive growth, especially in tech-adjacent cities like Draper, Sandy, and Cottonwood Heights. Homes purchased 15-20 years ago for $300K are now worth $800K-$1.2M+.
Key real estate considerations:
Critical decisions:
For gray divorce: Can you afford the house on one income? Utah property taxes are relatively low, but maintenance, HOA fees, and utilities don't decrease just because you're single. We need to ensure keeping the house doesn't jeopardize your retirement security.
Beyond tech, Utah's economy is powered by outdoor recreation (ski resorts, outdoor gear companies) and healthcare (Intermountain Health, University of Utah Health)—both creating unique divorce considerations.
Outdoor recreation industry wealth:
Healthcare sector considerations:
For gray divorce, retirement accounts are often your largest asset—and Utah's equitable distribution means the marital portion gets divided fairly (not necessarily 50/50).
Critical considerations:
For those new to finances: A 401(k) is your employer-sponsored retirement account. The money grows tax-deferred until you withdraw it in retirement. Dividing it incorrectly can trigger massive tax bills—this is where expert guidance pays for itself.
If you've been married 10+ years, you may be entitled to Social Security benefits based on your ex-spouse's earnings record—even if you never worked outside the home or earned significantly less. This is federal law, not Utah law.
Key benefits:
Critical timing: When you start Social Security significantly impacts your lifetime income. This is an essential part of your post-divorce financial plan.
Losing employer-sponsored health insurance at 50+ can be terrifying—and expensive. Understanding your options is critical.
Post-divorce healthcare options:
Cost planning: Healthcare premiums for a 55-year-old non-smoker in Utah can run $600-$1,200/month for individual coverage. This must be factored into your post-divorce budget and any spousal support negotiations.
Utah law generally caps spousal support duration at the length of the marriage. This is a critical distinction from states with lifetime alimony for long marriages.
Utah's spousal support framework:
For gray divorce (25+ year marriages):
If you've been married 25 years and are now divorcing at age 55, you might receive support until age 80—but only if you can't achieve financial independence before then. Courts want to see you make efforts to become self-supporting, especially if you have employable skills.
Tax treatment: For divorces finalized after December 31, 2018, spousal support is NO LONGER tax-deductible to the payer or taxable to the recipient (federal law change). This significantly impacts negotiation dynamics.
You might be wondering: "Can't my divorce attorney handle all of this?" The honest answer is: not completely. Here's why specialized financial planning expertise makes the difference between a fair settlement and a financial disaster.
What divorce attorneys DO handle:
What divorce attorneys typically DON'T have expertise in:
The collaborative approach: Your attorney handles the law. A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) handles the money. Together, this team gives you both legal protection AND financial security.
Right now, you might be feeling overwhelmed by financial questions you've never had to answer before. That's completely normal. Here's how we transform that overwhelm into clarity:
Step 1: Complete Financial Picture
Step 2: Valuation & Analysis
Step 3: Settlement Scenarios
Step 4: Post-Divorce Financial Plan
This process turns "I have no idea what I'm doing financially" into "I understand exactly what I need and how to get there." That's the power of specialized divorce financial planning.
You don't have to face Silicon Slopes tech equity, real estate wealth, and complex retirement division alone. Get expert guidance tailored to Utah's unique divorce laws and booming economy.
Turn Panic Into Power — $97 Schedule a Strategy Session