The Anton Legal Group, led by David Anton, Esq., is experienced in working with people who are facing high income, high net worth, or high asset divorce cases. He can assist with analyzing the legal facts surrounding your situation and with negotiating a fair divorce settlement for both parties while still representing your best interests. He can also successfully litigate these divorce cases if necessary.
Many people who face a high income, high net worth, or high asset divorce automatically assume their case will be an expensive and complicated process. While this is sometimes correct, many of these divorces are no more difficult nor expensive than a typical divorce. This is especially correct if the large net worth is held in only a few traditional assets. The complications arise when there are a large number of unique, hard to value, illiquid, tax deferred, or encumbered assets. When the high income is earned or received through a W-2 form, a single source, or even through a number of forms K-1 or 1099, the process of resolving a high income divorce is not as complicated. However, when income is earned through a variety of unique or complex sources, then income may be easier to obscure or hide.
Tampa High and Complex Net Worth Divorces
People facing a complex and high net worth divorce often seek the help of attorneys who are not sure how to manage the often unique aspects of these cases. Choosing a Florida high net worth divorce attorney with significant experience in this type of case is important.
You may have a complex net worth divorce case if any of these scenarios exist:
- You own or operate one or more family owned businesses, corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, trusts, REITs or sole proprietorships
- There are intangible investments such as real estate portfolios, oil and gas leases, or brokerage accounts
- There are complex pension arrangements, high net worth 401-K plans, individual retirement accounts, profit sharing plans and/or government pensions
- Yours is a military divorce that includes benefits such as retirement after long term service or disability after a service-related injury
- There are investments that allow for deferred compensation, depreciation reducing “book value”, or allow owners to choose between a current value or a potential future value
- There are unsecured or under secured debts, or those with questionable collectability
- There are assets or debts that were owned before the marriage, or those that were received during the marriage as a gift or inheritance
- Assets disappear or significantly decrease in value just before or during the divorce process
- Debts increase significantly just before or during the divorce process
- Situations where net worth is highly volatile
- Financial statements offered during the divorce discovery process that do not reflect the same level of income or amount of net worth as documents from lenders or financial statements predating the divorce filing
TAMPA High and Complex Income Divorces Florida
High and complex income divorces require lawyers with the experience and acumen to ensure that all income is declared and both parties have all information necessary to ensure settlement negotiations occur on equal footing.
Some characteristics that define a high income or complex income divorce include:
- There is income that significantly fluctuates from one year to the next
- There is income derived from investments
- There is business income that could be left undistributed, or retained by the business
- There is income that could be delayed or deferred
- There is income that could be paid to another trusted individual without a sufficient paper trail
- There is income that allows for the deduction of questionable businesses expenses or the unrealistic depreciation of capital assets
- There is income that is difficult to track or analyze
If you have any of these types of net worth (assets & liabilities) or income, it is important to enlist the help of a lawyer with significant experience in this type of divorce. If you are facing a complex net worth or complex income divorce in Tampa, Florida, the Anton Legal Group can help.
The Importance of an Experienced Complex Financial Divorce Attorney
In most high asset and complex financial divorce cases the process primarily centers around the division of assets and debts. The legal term for this process is “equitable distribution” and it is governed by Florida Statute section 61.075 and its large body of defining Florida caselaw. In addition to a complicated equitable distribution process, other financial issues such as alimony and attorneys’ fees may require significant analysis and negotiations. Even if you are an experienced business person and a savvy financial manager, you will need a lawyer who is familiar with analyzing and dividing assets and debts in complex divorce cases.
By choosing an experienced legal team, you can take some of the stress off of yourself and instead rely on the trained professionals who know what is necessary to discover negotiate and potentially litigate these types of cases.
One reason many people turn to Mr. Anton for help in a high asset divorce is because there is no shortage of financial and accounting proficiency and acumen available through the Anton Legal Group. In addition to having a law degree, David Anton also holds a degree in economics, with an emphasis on accounting. The Anton Legal Group also has a bookkeeping and accounting specialist on staff, and partners with local Tampa divorce forensic teams who work to help analyze financial situations as well as serve as expert witnesses if these cases might go to court.
Contacting the Anton Legal Group Tampa, Florida
The Anton Legal Group represents clients from a wide range of backgrounds, and with a wide range of financial scenarios. If you are facing a divorce where there is a high or complex net worth, or high or complex income, we will work to ensure that all assets and debts are discovered and distributed fairly during the divorce process. Even if you are working with a mediator or hoping to negotiate a settlement without litigation, we can help you better understand your financial situation so that you get the assets and money you rightfully deserve. Call our Tampa, Florida complex net worth divorce attorney today at (813) 443-5249 to learn more.