If you and your spouse are high-asset business partners, your divorce may be more complicated than most. Not only is your personal life at stake, but your business and your future income. If you fell out of love with each other, but remain on good terms, you may be able to continue to run your company together. However, in many cases, the emotions stirred up by the divorce can make this impossible.
Assuming you cannot continue to do business together, you have two options. Either you sell the company, or one of you buys the other out. Unless, of course, you have more than one business, in which case, you could divide the companies between you.
If part of your wealth comes from your personal brand, this can be even harder to put a price on. For example, if you are a high profile baseball pitcher, there will come a time when kids no longer wear shirts with your name, and brands are longer interested in sponsoring you. Your spouse may argue for a share based on your current worth. You probably disagree.
Another factor will be the role that your spouse played in your commercial success. Many high-worth couples succeeded because of their complementary skills. A business-savvy wife combined with a talented sports star husband can go a long way.
Any high-asset divorce will need the advice of experienced family law attorneys used to dealing with the added complexities of these divorces. It can take time to work out the value of all the different assets and businesses you hold together. Pre- or postnuptial agreements can make things more straightforward.
