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How to Prepare for an Imminent High Asset Divorce
Preparing for an imminent divorce in Texas is difficult under any circumstances. Whether you are planning to file but want to make sure you are the one who serves your spouse with papers, or you have recently been served with a divorce petition, getting ready for a divorce can be extremely stressful. High asset divorces in Texas make preparation for a divorce even more complicated given the value and complexity of many assets that will be classified as community property under Texas law. When an Austin high net worth divorce is imminent, you should begin taking steps to ensure that you have the best chance of reaching a divorce resolution that is right for you. The following are tips for preparing for an imminent high asset divorce. If you have additional questions or need assistance, you should reach out to an experienced Texas high net worth divorce lawyer as soon as possible for legal advice.
Find an Attorney with Experience Handling High Net Worth Divorces in Texas
What Is Commingled Property and How Can It Impact an Austin High Net Worth Divorce?
The division of community property is a complicated process in any Texas divorce, but it is often particularly complex in high asset divorces in the state. If you are planning for a divorce or you have just begun the process of filing, you probably already know that, under Texas law, Texas is a community property state. What does this mean for your divorce and your property? In short, most property acquired after the date of the marriage will be classified as “community property,” or property of the community (the community being your marriage). Property acquired prior to the date of your marriage, as well as certain property acquired after the date of marriage, will typically be classified as separate property. In Texas, community property is divided in a divorce in a manner that is “fair and just,” according to the Texas Family Code.
401(k) Accounts in High Asset Divorces
While most wealthy couples in Texas will have more than one retirement account that will be subject to division in a divorce, it is important to understand how the court is likely to treat your 401(k) accounts, and how those accounts can be divided without incurring substantial penalties. You should learn more about the classification of 401(k) accounts in a community property state like Texas, and whether there are options for preventing the distribution of your 401(k) accounts in your divorce case. When you have questions or need assistance, you should reach out to a Texas high asset divorce lawyer for help. In the meantime, the following includes information about 401(k) classification in Texas and details about distribution.
Community Property and Your 401(k) Account
As you likely know, 401(k) plans are a particular kind of defined-contribution retirement account, and employers offer them to their employees. The term 401(k) refers to the Internal Revenue Code section that governs these plans. With a 401(k) account, employees make automatic contributions from their paychecks, which are then matched by an employer (the percentage of the match depends on the employer). In traditional 401(k) plans, funds are not taxed until they are withdrawn, although withdrawals from Roth 401(k) accounts are not taxed since those are funded with “after-tax” contributions.
Factors to Consider in a Texas High Asset Divorce
High net worth divorces in Texas have many complex elements that do not exist in other types of divorce cases. If you are getting ready to file for divorce, or if your spouse has already filed, you should know just how important it is to have a Texas high net worth divorce lawyer on your side throughout this complicated and often lengthy process. Given the complexity of high asset divorces, we want to go through a list of things that anyone anticipating a high net worth divorce should consider.
1. You Should Hire a Lawyer Who Has Experience Handling High Asset Divorces
You want to make certain you have an Austin divorce lawyer who has experience handling high asset divorces in Texas.
2. You May Need to Hire a Forensic Accountant to Work on Your Case
Forensic accountants are often necessary in high asset cases for locating hidden assets, including tangible and intangible assets.
What Makes a Texas High Asset Divorce Different?
When you are getting ready to file for divorce, or your spouse has recently filed, you should be thinking carefully about the divorce lawyer you will hire to represent you. For high net worth couples in Austin, your choice of a divorce attorney is particularly important given that your case is likely to have complications due to the high value of your assets and earnings. You may be wondering: what makes a high asset divorce different? And you might even be thinking that any divorce lawyer familiar with community property division and child custody issues under the Texas Family Code can handle your case.
However, it is essential to keep in mind that there are various issues that do in fact make high asset divorces different from other divorces, and you should always have a Texas high asset divorce lawyer on your side who has years of experience assisting clients in high net worth divorces in and around Austin. The following are just a few of the ways in which high asset divorces are different from divorces involving spouses with lower incomes and assets.
What Is a High Asset Divorce?
When you are planning to file for divorce in Austin, TX and you know that you and your spouse have significant earnings, or that you have substantial and valuable assets, you may have heard the phrases “high asset divorce” or “high net worth divorce.” Yet you may be wondering whether these terms do indeed apply to you and, if so, what they mean for your ultimate divorce process. Under Texas law, regardless of whether you have a high asset divorce, your property will be classified either as community property or separate property, and all community property will be divisible. When community property is of high value, often nearing or upwards of $1,000,000, there will be particular considerations you will want to take into account.
For example, in a high asset divorce, you may need to hire a property appraiser with expertise handling niche property, or you may need to seek multiple estimates for real property to ensure that it is appropriately valued and classified. Moreover, you may need to work with a forensic accountant who can uncover hidden property that one of the spouses was attempting to conceal. An experienced Texas high asset divorce lawyer can tell you whether you should anticipate a high net worth and what you should expect. In the meantime, the following are types of community property that may signal a high net worth divorce and the need to seek advice from a high asset divorce lawyer in Austin.
How Can I Find Out My Spouse’s Actual Income?
High asset divorces in Texas are complex for many reasons, from community property that is of high-value and difficult to properly appraise to hidden assets. We often think of hidden assets as specific property, both tangible and intangible, that one spouse might try to conceal from the other spouse and from the court. For example, hidden assets often include out-of-state or overseas bank accounts or investments, business holdings, and even real estate. Yet another form that asset hiding can take is when the higher-earning spouse attempts to conceal his or her actual earnings. Income must be reported accurately to the court. If a spouse does hide the full amount of his or her income, Texas law allows the court to award the other spouse a higher amount of the community property. The spouse who hid assets can also face additional penalties.
If you do not know your spouse’s actual income and are preparing for a divorce, it is essential to work with an aggressive high asset divorce lawyer in Texas who can assist you. The following are some of the ways that you and your attorney can determine your spouse’s actual income.
Questions to Ask Your Lawyer in a High Asset Divorce
When you are meeting with attorneys and deciding how to proceed with your Texas high asset divorce, it is incredibly important to ensure that you have the right advocate on your side. While there are many different law firms that may do work in family law, it is essential to hire an experienced Austin high asset divorce attorney who has particular experience working on high net worth divorce cases and ensuring that high asset divorces are handled as smoothly as possible. You also want to be certain that you have an attorney who understands your particular needs and will tailor any legal strategies to fit the facts of your specific case. When you are in the early stages of planning for a high asset divorce, the following are some of the questions you should ask potential attorneys with whom you schedule consultations.
Do You Handle High Asset Divorce Cases?
How to Protect Your Credit After a High Asset Divorce
If you were the primary earner in your household during your marriage, and if you also have substantial separate property (as a result of earnings prior to the marriage or a family inheritance, for example), it will be important to think about how you can protect your credit and your financial profile after a high asset divorce in Texas. Even if your soon-to-be ex-spouse does not intentionally make bad financial decisions after the divorce, some of those poor financial decisions could impact your credit if you do not take specific steps ahead of time.
As you may know, Texas is a community property state. As such, most property acquired after the marriage will be classified as “community property,” as opposed to “separate property,” and it will be divisible between the parties. You may be thinking that you do not need to worry about your spouse harming your credit or financial profile since your spouse will receive a substantial amount of community property. However, if your spouse does not have much experience handling financial accounts and assets, that money may go quickly. The following are some recommendations for protecting your credit after a high asset divorce in Texas. If you have additional questions, a Texas high asset divorce lawyer can help.
More Common Examples of Complex Property in a High Asset Divorce in Texas
When you are in the early stages of planning for a high asset divorce in Texas, you should know that you will likely be facing a divorce involving the classification, valuation, and distribution of many different types of complex property. We have told you about some common types of complex property in an Austin high net worth divorce, including valuable collections of art and books, as well as business holdings and investments. Yet these are not the only types of complex property that will need to be divided in most Texas high asset divorce cases. We want to tell you about some more common types of complex property that may need to be evaluated in a high net worth divorce.
Keep in mind that Texas is a community property state, which means most property acquired after the date of marriage will be considered community property and thus will be subject to division. If you have questions or concerns, you should speak with an aggressive Austin high asset divorce attorney today.
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