Orange County High Net Worth Divorce Attorney
Almost every divorce – the legal term in California now is “dissolution of marriage” – will always be emotionally difficult as well as legally complicated. If there are children involved, divorce is even more trying. And in the state of California, if you own substantial property and assets, you can potentially lose a great deal in a contested divorce proceeding. When a divorce becomes final, the division of property and assets, the possibility of alimony–or spousal support–payments, and the obligation of child support may put what is yours at risk.
If you seeking a divorce, contemplating a divorce, currently in a legal separation, or anticipating a divorce in southern California, arrange at once to speak with an experienced Orange County high net worth divorce attorney who can help you protect your properties, businesses, real estate, and your other important possessions and holdings. Bayati Law Group represents high net worth clients in divorce proceedings in Orange County and throughout southern California.
If you are getting a divorce, high net worth divorces can be the most complex. High net worth divorce cases can be exceedingly complicated; they require comprehensive investigation by experienced divorce attorneys. The lawyers at Bayati Law Group advocate aggressively for high available means divorce clients in cases involving large estates, successful businesses, multiple real estate holdings, and other substantial assets. Divorces don’t automatically mean that you’re going to lose half of everything. The attorneys at Bayati Law Group have the knowledge and legal experience you’ll need. We know what it takes to help you protect your assets, including stocks, bonds, retirement accounts, inheritances, businesses, and immovable property holdings in the absence of prenuptial agreements.
IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS
High net worth divorces often involve business professionals and entrepreneurs. If you own one or more businesses, for example, an experienced Orange County high net worth divorce attorney at Bayati Law Group can help you to protect your business and your long-term interests in a divorce. Typically in a California divorce, when there is a dispute regarding marital property and assets, the courts will divide that property and those assets in half. But for business owners of either gender, the idea of losing half of the business you’ve built is deplorable. How can a business survive if it loses half of its value?
In a California divorce, businesses are first “characterized” and then “valued.” Characterization determines if the business is community property, personal property, or a combination of both. Valuation determines what a business is worth. Characterization is typically more difficult than the valuation process because so many questions must be answered by the court. Did you inherit the business or start up the business before or after the marriage? If you inherited, did you receive all of the business or was it split among several heirs? Are you in business with one or more partners?
Even if your business started up during the marriage, that doesn’t mean you should assume the business is community property. If you started the business with your own resources, it may affect the characterization of the business. If you are a California business owner, do not be tempted in a divorce to do something foolish or illegal to make your business look less profitable or your income less substantial. That is not the way to go and leads to a number of additional issues you must address. Instead, let an experienced Orange County high net worth divorce attorney with Bayati Law Group provide sound advice and aggressive legal advocacy on your behalf.
IF YOU OWN EXTENSIVE REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS
Extensive real estate holdings can also complicate a divorce in California. Many married couples are homeowners, but many couples also jointly own commercial properties, investment properties, farmland, cabins, and vacation homes. In a California divorce, every piece of real estate is presumed to have value, and the fair, equitable division of real estate holdings can easily become the most complicated issue in a high available means divorce.
Arriving at an agreement with fair and equitable division of real estate holdings can be genuinely challenging. The first problem with real estate is determining its precise value. The fluctuating nature of real estate markets and other economic factors can sometimes make it quite difficult to be exact. A second problem is determining if a property will be sold or if it will be retained by one spouse in exchange for some other consideration in the divorce settlement. Location, market conditions, and the amount of debt owed on a property are all elements to be considered. However, property acquired by one of the individuals in the marriage as a gift or as an inheritance is usually not considered a joint marital asset in California and not subject to property division. To learn more about what is considered community property, or to request to have an experienced divorce lawyer review your case, call Bayati Law Group offices today.
WE USE EVERY AVAILABLE LEGAL TOOL ON YOUR BEHALF
In a high net worth divorce case, the divorce attorney must conduct a comprehensive investigation and examination of both partners’ finances. An experienced Orange County high available means divorce attorney with Bayati Law Group will advocate aggressively for high net worth divorce clients in cases involving large estates, prosperous businesses, numerous properties, and other high available means assets.
Divorcing in California does not necessarily mean that you’ll lose half – or more – of what you own. A good Orange County divorce attorney will use every available legal tool to help you protect your stocks, bonds, real estate holdings, businesses, and retirement accounts. If you are a high net worth individual, let Bayati Law Group help. If you believe that your spouse has hidden or undervalued any properties or assets, a family law attorney with Bayati Law Group will work on your behalf with forensic and financial specialists if necessary to identify and uncover any and all hidden assets.
CALL TO SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
Whether or not you are a high available means individual, if you need immediate divorce representation from an experienced Orange County divorce attorney, or if you simply need legal advice and guidance for the future, Bayati Law Group is available to offer an assessment of your situation, to discuss the full range of your legal options, and to help you make the right decisions and choices for yourself, your family, and your future.
Every Bayati Law Group client and prospective client is treated with complete respect and is extended every possible professional courtesy. It is our policy to return every client phone call and every email promptly to ensure you receive the services you need. Call today to schedule an initial consultation appointment with an experienced Orange County divorce attorney at Bayati Law Group at (949) 205-7644. Or, you can complete the form on the contact page of this site, which also contains a map with our office location. Bayati Law Group represents clients in all matters of high asset divorce, family law and parental disputes in Orange County and throughout southern California.