High Asset Divorce

KNOWLEDGEABLE FAMILY LAW ATTORNEYS FOR RESIDENTS OF ATLANTA

Few divorces are a pleasant experience, either as an emotional matter or as a pragmatic matter. In particular, making the financial arrangements related to the dissolution of a marriage can become extremely challenging as you attempt to work out how to divide marital assets and debts, as well as calculate spousal support and child support. However, in a divorce that involves high assets, the situation can grow even more complicated. If you are currently planning to dissolve a marriage, and your spouse and you have a significant amount of valuable assets, you may want to consult a family law lawyer who has experience handling high-asset divorces. Rowsey & Stelter has helped many Atlanta residents negotiate and, if necessary, litigate to seek the property that may be due to them as their equitable share of the marriage assets.

PURSUING A HIGH ASSET DIVORCE IN GEORGIA

It is frequently difficult for divorcing couples to reach agreement on dividing their marital property and debts. Moreover, high asset divorces are frequently riddled by additional complexities because they often involve more complicated, more diverse, and more numerous financial arrangements and investments, such as:

• Business ownership interests;
• Stock options;
• Deferred compensation;
• Multiple retirement accounts and investments;
• Multiple real estate holdings;
• Foreign real estate holdings;
• Foreign investments;
• Hidden assets;
• Expensive or multiple vehicles;
• Art, automobiles, artifacts, wine, jewelry, coins, stamps, books, manuscripts, or other collections; and
• Trusts or other financial structures.

In some cases, it may be difficult simply to compile a complete list of marital assets, particularly in cases when one of the spouses may have shifted investments in order to shield them from division in divorce. Also, many couples that have extensive financial resources often structure their asset holdings in ways designed to minimize tax exposure, which may make division or transfer more problematic. Some assets, such as valuable collections, may be difficult to value due to their volatile nature or their uniqueness.

Couples may also need to investigate and agree on which assets are separate—such as assets owned before marriage, assets received as gifts, or assets that were inherited—and which assets belong to the marriage, or whether any of the assets that were initially separate property have lost their character as separate.

To further complicate matters, even if a couple agrees on the character and value of an asset, it may be difficult or unwise to liquidate a particular asset in divorce because of tax consequences or for other reasons. Your negotiation can involve figuring out how to allocate and transfer title for different assets to each spouse, as opposed to liquidating valuable assets and dividing the proceeds.

Finally, difficulties can arise when marriages involve prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, which require additional investigation as to their enforceability and to determine if and how any asset divisions need to comply with their terms.

DISCUSS THE MARRIAGE DISSOLUTION PROCESS WITH AN ATLANTA LAWYER

When significant assets with considerable net worth are involved in dissolving an Atlanta marriage, it is advisable to obtain the advice of an experienced divorce attorney, whether the process is amicable or hotly contested. At Rowsey & Stelter, we have the skills to help you properly identify, locate, and value your marital assets, as well as help you negotiate and structure your asset division so that you retain the maximum benefit and value of those assets you have acquired. We will make sure that you fully understand the scope of your assets, how those may be divided to meet the equitable standard, and the ramifications of any options you consider in arriving at a final allocation. You can contact us at 770-993-5317 or use our online form to set up a consultation. We proudly serve clients throughout the Atlanta area and elsewhere in Georgia, including the communities of Alpharetta, Decatur, Roswell, and Johns Creek.