Protecting Your Property in a High Asset Divorce
Divorces that involve complex assets shouldn’t be handled like other divorces. If you have complex assets, like a family-owned business, investments, deferred stock options, intellectual property, or passive income, it is important to be represented by a law firm with experience handling high net worth divorce cases.
Otherwise, you could face a cookie-cutter property agreement that doesn’t take your true financial picture into account.
At Kaspar & Lugay, LLP, we have extensive experience in high net worth divorces. Partner Brent Kaspar is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and Partner Arvin Lugay has advised and represented some of the most prestigious financial and banking institutions in the country in high-stakes litigation.
We frequently work with high earners who have significant wealth and complex assets, and our clients include startup founders, investors, and executives. Our California law firm also partners with forensic accountants, property valuation experts, and other professionals to make sure your complex assets are protected during asset division.
Experience Forged in the Bay Area Tech Boom
Our law firm and attorneys have a strong background in the financial side of the Bay Area startup ecosystem. We combine this experience with top-tier family law representation to protect our clients’ assets, especially in matters related to ownership of restricted stock units (RSUs) and other equity considerations common to tech startups.
California Law on Asset Division
California is a community property state. Each spouse owns one-half of the property and one-half of the debt acquired during the marriage. Things become complex, however, when assets acquired before the marriage are leveraged to increase assets during the marriage, or when interest in future assets is acquired during the marriage.
It takes an experienced lawyer to properly protect your interests and make sure that property is divided equally, all things considered.
What Assets Cause Divorce Complexities?
Many different types of assets can turn a divorce into a high net worth divorce:
- Primary, secondary, and vacation homes
- Investment properties
- Businesses
- Stocks, including restricted stock units for early employees, executives, and founders
- Bonds and other investments
- 401(k)s, IRAs, pension, and retirement accounts
- Intellectual property
- Cars and boats
- Horses
- Jewelry
- Other complex assets
How to Tell If a Spouse Is Hiding Assets
During a divorce, it’s common for spouses to lose trust in each other. It’s a good idea to collect as much financial information as possible, as early as possible. This is true whether you believe your spouse may be hiding assets or not.
If you notice large transfers of money, account values that differ significantly from what you had anticipated, or account information you do not recognize, these could be signs of hidden assets.
Contact Kaspar & Lugay, LLP, for Legal Representation
Don’t trust a high net worth divorce to just any family law attorney. To talk with one of our attorneys about your complex or high net worth divorce needs, call Kaspar & Lugay, LLP, at 415-789-5881 or send us a message. Our legal support team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
