Wisconsin High-Net-Worth Divorce Attorneys

Assisting Clients Through Divorce Proceedings in High-Asset Divorce Cases

Every divorce case differs from the last because every divorcing couple has unique circumstances to consider when determining child support, custody, maintenance, and marital property division. For business owners, high earners, and those with valuable assets, the legal process of divorce can be especially complicated. If you are going through a high-net-worth divorce, it is necessary to obtain accurate valuations for your business interests, stock options, retirement accounts, marital residence, and other properties subject to property division. Additionally, you want an attorney with extensive experience representing clients in complex divorce proceedings so that they may knowledgeably address your questions and concerns throughout the process.

Our Wisconsin divorce attorneys pride themselves on providing compassionate, communicative, and dedicated legal representation to divorcing spouses in high-asset divorce cases. Our lawyers can work with forensic accountants to determine the proper value of your marital assets, consider your options for avoiding tax consequences, and help you pursue the optimal outcome of your divorce case.

To learn more about the benefits of retaining our legal services, please schedule a complimentary consultation with our attorneys today.

What is Considered a High-Net-Worth or High Asset Divorce?

High-net-worth or high-asset divorces are cases where the soon-to-be ex-spouses own significant property, substantial income, or access to other funds that perhaps most divorcing couples may not have. The high-asset divorce term can also describe unique circumstances where the couple owned a business, real estate, or other complex assets. Partners going through high-asset divorces must determine more than simply who shall retain ownership of the marital residence; they must also work with experienced professionals to analyze the proper value of assets and assist them throughout the property division process.

High-net-worth divorce cases may include dividing marital property, such as the following:

Businesses and business interests
Legal partnerships
Outstanding debts
Real estate property and investments
Retirement accounts, plans, and pensions
Stocks, bonds, stock options, and other forms of equity
Tax benefits
Various types of trusts
And more

Valuing complex or highly valued assets in a high-net-worth divorce can be challenging due to the complicated nature of certain investments, financial holdings, and businesses. Forensic accountants, appraisers, and other professionals may be required to provide accurate valuations and ensure transparency during the division of marital assets.

What Marital Assets Are Subject to the Division of Property?

Wisconsin is a community property state. All assets and property acquired during the marriage are to be divided equally between the divorcing spouses. No exceptions are made for high-valued assets, which will likely be split 50/50.

A family law judge is given certain discretion to divide the assets differently from the established guidelines depending on certain unique factors, including the following:

Age, health, and life expectancy of divorcing spouses
Contributions to the marriage for the benefit of the other spouse
Emotional attachments to specific assets
If one of the spouses had more significant financial resources or a higher earning capacity
Marital agreements, such as prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, that establish the ownership of a specific asset
Necessity to award the family home to the spouse with primary physical placement of the minor children
Questions about property that is not divisible and may be considered separate property
Tax consequences that may be associated with specific assets
The length of the marriage
Whether a high-value asset was brought into the marriage by one of the spouses
And any other factors that the court may deem relevant

Several types of property may be subject to Wisconsin property division. We strongly recommend seeking the legal counsel of an experienced attorney when going through the divorce process.

The following assets may be subject to property division:

Airplanes and jets
Annuities
Antiques and family heirlooms
Bank accounts
Businesses
Cars and any other motor vehicles, including boats, jet skis, and more
Investment portfolios
Commercial property
Pensions
Retirement benefits
Stocks and bonds
Trusts
Vacation homes
And more

Do You and Your Divorcing Spouse Have a Marital Estate with Complex Assets?

Some assets can be more complicated to split between divorcing couples because of the need to determine their value and the difficulty of dividing certain assets.

Marital estates with diverse assets, such as business ownership, real estate investments, luxury vehicles, valuables and collectibles, financial accounts, stock options, and retirement plans, can be challenging to put a specific value on. It is often necessary to seek the advice and assistance of financial professionals to properly evaluate and identify marital property subject to the division of property.

Our Wisconsin law firm has extensive experience representing clients’ interests in high-net-worth divorce cases. We would proudly represent you in and out of court in pursuit of the most satisfactory resolution to your divorce case.

What if You Suspect There Are Hidden Assets?

When dealing with high-asset divorces, some spouses may be motivated to hide assets from being included in the marital estate, hoping they will not be divided with the other spouse. Your soon-to-be ex may have put money into a hidden bank account or temporarily transferred property ownership to someone else to hide assets during the divorce process.

If you suspect that your ex-partner has been deceptive, we do not recommend that you conduct your own investigation but rather seek the assistance and guidance of trained professionals. Our divorce lawyers have the necessary investigative skills to search for hidden assets and prove deception to help you get the proper compensation you are entitled to in the divorce settlement.

Do Business Interests Complicate Divorce Property Division?

It’s not enough to simply look at business tax returns or personal returns to determine the proper value of a business. If the business owners did not properly disclose all income or made mistakes listing expenses, tax returns could be considered useless. Also, tax returns only show income and expenses for tax purposes and do not show the actual income that went into the business owners’ accounts.

Our law firm has extensive experience working with highly skilled professionals to determine a business’s actual income and accurate value. We have knowledge and experience representing both business owners and spouses who have no ownership but are entitled to 50% of the business interests in a divorce. Contact our Wisconsin law offices for more information about how we can assist you throughout the process.

Schedule a Complimentary Consultation with Our Wisconsin High-Net-Worth Divorce Lawyers Today

HKK Law Offices is a Wisconsin family law firm dedicated to providing compassionate legal representation to members of our community. We understand that divorce is an arduous and sometimes traumatizing process to go through, and it can be uniquely complicated if you and your spouse were high earners or owned especially valuable assets. Our legal team strongly suggests that you seek the legal services of professional lawyers to assist you throughout your high-net-worth divorce case.

To learn more about how we can assist you throughout the divorce proceedings, please contact our law office to schedule a complimentary consultation with our attorneys today.

Call us at 920-635-2992.

Disclaimer:

The HKK Law Offices website is intended for informational purposes only. Nothing on the site is considered to be creating an attorney-client relationship between the reader and HKK Law Offices or as the rendering of legal advice for any specific matter. Readers are responsible for obtaining such advice from their own legal counsel.

No client or other reader should act or refrain from acting based on any information contained in the HKK Law Offices website without seeking appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue.