Posted on February 20, 2019 in QDROs, Pensions and 401(k)s

While many divorcing couples go into the divorce process with the expectation that they may disagree on certain issues, such as who will retain the family home, many fail to remember that they will also need to determine how any retirement assets like 401(k) accounts will be divided. However, it’s important to take these types of unique assets into account when distributing assets, as they can play a crucial role in helping individuals become financially secure after their marriages are dissolved. For help understanding the complexities of dividing retirement accounts during your own divorce, please contact one of our dedicated Round Rock high asset divorce attorneys today.

Does the Account Qualify as Community Property?

How a 401(k) account is divided upon a couple’s divorce depends in large part on whether the funds in the account are characterized as community property or separate property. In most cases, 401(k) plans do not simply fall into one category or the other, as it is common for 401(k) plans to contain both types of property. This is because even if a 401(k) plan was started by one of the parties before a marriage took place, which would technically make it separate property, the interest in the plan that accrued during the course of the marriage will still qualify as community property, making it equitably divisible under Texas law.

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 Posted on February 18, 2019 in High Asset Divorce

It’s usually a good idea for those who are going through a divorce, especially couples with unique or valuable assets, to sit down and make a list of all unusual assets that might otherwise get left off a list of marital property. To ensure that all of your own property is accounted for and that any property settlement agreements that are presented to you and your spouse are fair to both parties, please contact a member of our Leander high asset divorce legal team today.

Unusual Assets

A couple’s marital assets usually consist of any property that was earned or brought into the home during the marriage itself. In fact, some separate property, which is made up of assets that were brought into a marriage, can become marital assets if they are commingled with marital property. While most couples remember to account for the family home, vehicles, real estate, and bank accounts when creating a list of their marital assets, it is not uncommon for a family to forget to list and value more unusual assets, such as:

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 Posted on February 13, 2019 in High Asset Divorce

Most married couples share financial advisors. However, once a couple decides to get divorced, it is usually a good idea for each party to hire a new financial advisor, accountant, and tax advisor, who can ensure that his or her interests are protected. This is especially important in cases where one spouse had the majority of contact with the family’s financial advisors during the course of the marriage. Hiring a new financial team can give divorcing parties peace of mind that their advisors have no shared or conflicting loyalties and will treat them in a fair and impartial manner. If you and your spouse are thinking about filing for divorce and you are in need of recommendations for a financial team of your own, please contact our dedicated high asset divorce legal team today for assistance.

Financial Teams

Financial teams hired to assist with high asset divorces are usually made up of a number of individuals, including:

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 Posted on February 06, 2019 in High Asset Divorce

It is not uncommon during a divorce for the parties involved to get so caught up in the emotional aspects of dissolving their marriage that they fail to focus on coming up with a property settlement that serves the best interests of both spouses. This can end up costing both parties a significant amount of time and funds, while also making it much more difficult to prepare for post-divorce life. In fact, divorcing spouses may not even realize the full value of the marital assets that they are surrendering to the other without any attempt at negotiation. This is especially likely in situations where one or both spouses own unique assets, such as collectibles that are hard to put a price on, but could be extremely valuable. For help ensuring that this doesn’t happen to you, please contact a member of our dedicated high asset divorce legal team for assistance.

Valuable Collectibles

Although when many people think about valuable collectibles, they imagine antiques or coin collections, the reality is that there are a number of different kinds of valuable assets that a person can collect that fall under this category, including wine, jewelry, and art. In other cases, a person’s collections may only be of interest to a certain group of collectors. However, that doesn’t mean that these types of items don’t have value. In fact, odd items, such as antique medical devices can bring in large sums on auction websites, where collectors from all over the world can search for particular rare collectibles.

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 Posted on January 30, 2019 in Complex Property Litigation

While most people assume that one of the most difficult aspects of divorce is coming up with a child custody arrangement that meets the needs of all parties or learning to co-parent with one’s former spouse, the reality is that dividing marital property is actually one of the most time-consuming aspects of any divorce. This is especially true for high asset divorces, where couples have significant, diverse, or unique assets that are difficult to inventory, appraise, and divide. Furthermore, while not all divorcing couples have children, most will have at least some assets that need to be divided before a divorce can be finalized. For this reason, it is critical for those who are considering divorce, to contact an experienced high asset divorce attorney who can explain the property division process and ensure that their rights and interests are protected.

What Is Equitable Division?

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 Posted on January 23, 2019 in Divorce

Dissolving a marriage can be a contentious process, especially for couples with acrimonious relationships. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid the long drawn-out process that litigating a divorce can turn out to be. For instance, more and more couples have begun turning to collaborative divorce as a viable option when dissolving a marriage. To find out more about collaborative divorce and whether it is right for you and your family, please contact a member of our high asset divorce legal team for advice.

Confidential Proceedings

Collaborative divorce is an alternative to standard divorce proceedings that involves not only attorneys, but also financial planners and family therapists, all of whom are focused on negotiating a settlement agreement between the parties that serve the best interests of both spouses. In addition to giving the parties more of a say in creating their own settlement agreements, collaborative divorce also allows couples with significant assets to divide their property as they see fit in a confidential setting. Most divorces that are litigated in court are a matter of public record, which can create difficulties for business owners and others with significant financial assets or holdings in their communities. Collaborative divorce gives the parties the option of keeping all of this information private and confidential.

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 Posted on January 16, 2019 in Complex Divorce

Ending a marriage requires couples to grapple with a host of difficult issues. For instance, divorcing couples must make the transition from married life to single life and come to terms with the emotional implications of ending a marriage. However, these are not the only considerations that come into play during divorce. This is especially true for couples who have unique, diverse, or significant assets, as these individuals are forced to not only physically separate but to financially separate as well. This can be a difficult process for spouses who have accumulated substantial wealth during their union, making it particularly important for those who find themselves in this type of circumstance, to retain an experienced high asset divorce attorney who can help protect their financial interests.

Obtaining Assistance from Finance Experts

Coming up with a fair property settlement during the divorce process requires a thorough understanding of marital money management, as ignorance about the existence of or value of certain assets and liabilities is a serious disadvantage. In many cases, spouses who don’t feel confident in their knowledge of their financial situations are encouraged to hire one or more financial professionals who can delve into their family’s economic complexities. Forensic accountants, in particular, can play a critical role in uncovering hidden income, as well as:

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 Posted on January 09, 2019 in QDROs, Pensions and 401(k)s

One of the most common points of contention in any divorce is how a couple’s assets will be divided upon dissolution of their marriage. Although most couples understand that this will involve dividing relatively common assets, such as bank accounts, the family home, and vehicles, it’s important to remember that more unusual property, like retirement accounts, will also need to be divided. In most cases, at least some of the contents of a retirement account are considered marital property, which means that they must be divided equitably between the spouses. While this could mean that each spouse receives an equal share of the benefits, this is not always true, as courts are generally guided by what would qualify as equitable distribution when making their decisions.

Whether your retirement account pays out on a regular basis or you can withdraw as you see fit depends in large part on the type of account in question and the contents of your Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). To learn more about dividing your own retirement account upon divorce, please contact a member of our high asset divorce legal team today.

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 Posted on December 26, 2018 in Complex Property Litigation

When considering divorce, many couples go into the property settlement process with the expectation that they will be required to parcel out certain personal possessions, decide who will retain the family home, and divide up the contents of any bank accounts. However, this task becomes much more difficult for couples with unique or costly assets, such as fine artwork, which can be difficult to appraise. Fortunately, the advent of digital valuation tools has made this process simpler, although divorcing couples are still encouraged to obtain an in-person appraisal from an expert before going forward with the property division process. To learn more about the different methods of asset appraisal available to you, please contact an experienced high asset divorce attorney who can advise you.

Appraisal Factors

Appraising fine art tends to be difficult, as it can actually have a number of monetary values. These values are determined primarily by assessing the market in which the work was sold or is to be offered for sale, which includes galleries, auctions, and art fairs. Appraisers then evaluate the data derived from sales of comparable items in similar galleries to determine a rough approximation of a piece’s value.

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 Posted on December 19, 2018 in Complex Property Litigation

Many couples, especially those who have been married for a number of years, acquire unique valuables in addition to their income, including jewelry, artwork, and antiques. In the event that a couple decides to divorce, these objects could end up accounting for a large portion of their marital assets and so will need to be divided equitably in a property settlement. Critical to this process is obtaining a proper appraisal of all valuable collectibles and antiques, so if you and your spouse have decided to file for divorce and you are unsure how to move forward with your case in regards to your valuable or unique assets, it is important to speak with an experienced high asset divorce attorney who can advise you on your next steps.

Antique Status

Many people assume that because an object is old, it automatically qualifies as a true antique. This is, however, not true, as, in the world of collectibles, there are actually three categories under which old objects can fall, including:

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