Divorce Involving Significant Assets

Divorce is rarely simple; however, when a marriage involves significant or complex assets, the potential for complications—and conflict—go up. The more there is to fight about, the more there is to lose. Oftentimes, once the fighting begins, it tends to escalate—along with legal fees.

If safeguarding assets during a divorce is important to you, you must work with attorneys who will prioritize that goal. The reality is that marital assets are not simply divided between you and your spouse at the conclusion of your divorce; they are often divided between you, your spouse, and your attorneys in the form of payment for representation and advice you receive from your counsel along the way. As such, it is critical to have an attorney who is a fierce advocate for your position, but who also remains mindful of your ultimate goals (and expense) and advises you appropriately.

At Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield, our singular focus is on achieving our clients’ goals. When those goals include maximizing the assets with which they leave the marriage, our representation includes not only strong advocacy, but a constant cost-benefit analysis regarding the likely outcome of various approaches. We relentlessly pursue our clients’ aims while helping them to remain focused on the big picture and minimizing legal fees whenever possible.

Issues in High-Asset Divorce Matters

Financial concerns during high-asset divorce matters extend far beyond simply dividing assets. Couples with significant or complex assets must often confront the following issues:

  • The tax impact of the allocation of certain assets in divorce
  • How the couple’s income and assets affect the calculation of child support, especially where income exceeds the income ceiling of the child support guidelines
  • How the couple’s income and the division of assets may affect the amount of, and decision to, award alimony
  • Valuation of assets, including business interests, and particularly closely held or family-owned businesses
  • Real estate and other assets located in different states or countries from the jurisdiction in which the divorce is to be decided
  • Concealment or dissipation of assets
  • How the existence of a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement will affect alimony, if any, as well as the distribution of marital assets
  • How a court will treat exotic assets, including executive compensation plans, intellectual property, lottery winnings, trusts, etc.
  • How ownership issues can affect the distribution of assets

In addition to these issues, couples with significant or complex assets must navigate the same property distribution issues as all couples: determining which assets are considered marital, and therefore subject to division; determining the value of those assets; and determining how to divide them in both an equitable and a logical manner.

How We Help in High-Asset Divorce Cases

At Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield, we take a tactical approach to the resolution of financial issues in a high net worth divorce. Our attorneys have decades of experience negotiating and litigating these matters. They have repeatedly received local and national recognition for their work in these cases—including being named among the top 100 attorneys in the United States serving the needs of affluent clientele by Worth magazine.

We understand that our clients’ financial interests are often best served by reaching a favorable settlement rather than devoting considerable resources to an extended court battle. To that end, we make available a variety of dispute resolution techniques, including mediation and Collaborative divorce, in which we have extensive experience. Unlike many family law attorneys, we are seasoned litigators as well as negotiators, always prepared to litigate divorces if needed in service of our clients’ ultimate goals. Our willingness to litigate often provides leverage during negotiations against attorneys who are not similarly equipped.

Our attorneys have successfully resolved hundreds of divorces, including many complex and high-asset cases. Our thorough understanding of the legal landscape both inside and outside of the courthouse enables us to skillfully outmaneuver our opponents—often in a way they are unable to anticipate.

We invite you to contact Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield to schedule a consultation to discuss your needs regarding your high net worth divorce.