When a Florida woman discovered that her husband of 55 years had been having a long-term affair with a woman from Minnesota, who he had been engaged to since 2005, she filed for divorce.
During the course of divorce proceedings, her husband admitted to squandering more than $11 million in marital assets, funding trips on private jets and paying for multi-million dollar properties. He also admitted to funneling marital assets into businesses and life insurance owned by the other woman, and even paid living expenses for both her and her daughters.
Additionally, it was revealed that her husband had changed one of his insurance policies – opting instead to make the other woman the beneficiary. All of this occurred while the woman was battling Parkinson’s disease and a variety of related health issues.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff has alleged that the true amount spent by her former husband far exceeds the $11 million initially reported – perhaps even double the amount. As a result, she is seeking damages from all defendants, in addition to injunctive and equitable relief, so that she can prevent the further dissipation of other assets.
High Net Worth Divorce in Florida
Many couples dealing with high net worth divorce typically assume the case will be a long, complex process. While this is true in some cases, it is not necessarily the case all the time. This is especially true in situations where a couple has significant net worth tied up in limited assets. Complications will typically arise when the divorce involves a large number of assets that are hard to value.
For example, a case may be considered more complex if:
- It involves intangible investments, like real estate portfolios, brokerage accounts or oil and gas leases
- You have high net worth 401-K plans, individual retirement accounts, government pensions, profit sharing plans or complex pension arrangements
- You have unsecured or underscored debts
- You have debts or other assets that occurred before you were married, or assets that were received as a gift or inheritance
- Marital assets suddenly disappear or decrease in monetary value at any time before, after or during the divorce process
Because many high net worth divorce cases also typically involve income that is primarily rooted in investments or business ventures, it is important for all income to be reported, so that it can be tracked and analyzed.
Are you a high net worth individual seeking divorce from your spouse? If so, it is important that you enlist the guidance of a qualified divorce attorney, specifically one with experience litigating high income cases. Only an attorney specializing in high net worth cases can devise a legal strategy that protects you and your assets, both now and in the future.
Divorce Attorneys for High Net Worth Business Owners
In Tampa, Florida, the attorneys at Anton Legal Group can provide the insightful legal guidance you need when dealing with divorce. Our attorneys specialize in handling complex and high net worth divorces and can approach your case with the highest degrees of professionalism and integrity. In addition to our firm’s legal expertise, we have built a team that includes specialists with unparalleled financial and accounting acumen, which helps us serve clients from a a wide range of backgrounds.
We know that dealing with high income divorce is never easy, especially when you are looking to protect your business. By working with our experienced legal team, it can help eliminate some of the stress that is commonly associated with divorce.
We welcome your call to the Anton Legal Group today at (813) 443-5249 to schedule a preliminary consultation to assess your case.