High Asset Divorce
Divorce is always complicated, but divorces involving high-value estates can be especially complex.
Individuals with a high net worth need a lawyer who can confidently navigate the complexities of high-asset divorce.
Find out why people throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area choose Harris Cook Law in Arlington, TX, for high-asset divorce representation.
What Constitutes A High-Asset Divorce?
High-asset divorces frequently involve:
- Domestic and foreign real estate
- Trusts
- Privately and publicly held companies
- Life insurance policies, proceeds, and annuities
- Rights and royalties to oil and mineral deposits
- Professional practices and partnerships
- Patents or other intellectual property
- Stock options
- Domestic and foreign employee benefit plans
- Money market and other financial accounts
At Harris Cook Law - Family Law Division, David Cook, John Clark, and their team understand how to locate and assess all domestic and foreign assets.
A Distinguished Attorney Who Cares about Your Future
Family Law
Specialists
David Cook and Donna J. Smiedt are board-certified family law attorneys through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. This prestigious distinction reflects their training and detailed understanding of family law in Texas.
Attention
to Detail
Divorces involving high-value estates require the help of lawyers with extraordinary attention to detail that will allow them to track down and properly quantify all assets. Our team of divorce lawyers has helped many clients to protect their best interests.
Caring Representation
Even if you know it's the right decision, divorce is always an emotional and stressful experience. Our divorce attorneys treat our clients with compassion and sensitivity and strive to make ending your marriage as easy and stress-free as possible.
Choose a Board-Certified Attorney To Represent You
David Cook and Donna J. Smiedt are proud to be board-certified family law attorneys. Very few lawyers have earned this distinction, and not all of them can manage the vigorous recertification process every five years. In addition, our team of attorneys has practiced law in Texas for decades.
Our divorce attorneys are ready to fight for you, leveraging family law board certification to your advantage. Contact our Arlington, TX, law firm to begin or call:
(817) 572-9900
“David resolved things quickly and cleanly.”
“I went to David to handle my divorce. He took what seemed complicated and certain to drag on, resolving it quickly and cleanly. His staff was a pleasure to work with. I have since referred numerous friends to his firm. highly recommend!”
– Jeff, 5-Star Review
Prenuptial or Post-Marital Agreements Can Be Contested After the Fact
Many couples in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area with high-value estates have signed either prenuptial or postnuptial agreements. In the event of a dissolution of the marriage, interpreting and enforcing these documents correctly can have a significant impact. Our Arlington divorce lawyers have the training and the skills necessary to properly handle these contracts.
Although prenups and postnups are legally binding contracts, there are viable strategies for contesting their validity. For example, if one spouse had hidden assets at the time that the document was signed, and those assets came to light later, the agreement may be invalidated, and the assets may receive a new valuation. Or, if one member of the couple believes that they were forced to sign a document against their will, the contract may not hold up in court.
When prenups and postnups are involved, many Texas courts require separate contract litigation to explore the terms of the agreement and the conditions under which the documents were signed. When you enlist the aid of our Arlington divorce lawyer, we will protect your best interests during prenuptial or postnuptial agreement litigation.
Prenups are not always as binding as they seem. Our attorneys help clients throughout Southlake, Mansfield, and the entire DFW metroplex achieve favorable outcomes even when these agreements are involved.
Protect Your Best Interests Request a Consultation Today
If you and your spouse are heading towards a high-asset divorce, you need a lawyer who knows how to handle even the most complicated divorce cases. You need a divorce lawyer who proudly serves clients throughout Southlake and Mansfield.
Harris Cook Law stands apart because of:
- Our excellent reputation throughout greater Dallas-Fort Worth
- Our ability to act as mediators or counsel in divorce mediation
- Our welcoming offices and divorce therapy dogs!
To request a consultation with Harris Cook Law in Arlington, TX, fill out our online form or call
(817) 572-9900
“Divorce is a challenging life experience and you want someone who is honest and experienced to represent you. Harris Cook LLP was just that for me, it was a lot of unknowns that they guided me through and help me achieve the best possible outcome. Though no Divorce was my hope and may be yours as well, your in good hands if you select Harris Cook LLP.”
– Michael, 5-Star Review
Our Team Can Come to You
Our team gladly serves the entire Dallas-Fort Worth Area. If it will be difficult for you to reach our law offices in Southlake or Arlington, TX, as we work on your case, we can arrange for remote meetings that suit your schedule. Additionally, we have a network of luxurious satellite offices throughout the metroplex, so we can come meet you at the location that's most convenient.
Property Division in Texas And the Difference Between Fault and No-Fault Divorce
In Texas, all assets acquired by you and your spouse during your marriage are considered "community property," meaning they belong equally to both of you regardless of who made a purchase or who earned the most money. Assets that would be considered separate and not part of the community property include anything acquired before the marriage and anything left to a specific spouse as inheritance.
Texas allows for both fault and no-fault divorces (a fault divorce is premised on one spouse's wrongdoing, while a no-fault divorce does not require that a spouse does anything wrong). In a no-fault divorce, community property is almost always divided equally between the two spouses after valuation. In a fault divorce case, the party who is not at fault can sometimes have an advantage regarding property division, child custody, child support, and spousal support.
The division of community property can become especially complex when assets are commingled or hidden. In some cases, our Arlington divorce lawyers recommend our clients file a financial restraining order to prevent spouses from changing the financial status of an estate before the final agreement is settled.
Hidden Assets Are a Possible Challenge in High Value Divorces
You may not know the full scope of your assets, especially if you are not in charge of finances. Sadly, this can work against you in a divorce. Feeling overwhelmed? The best thing you can do to ensure a fair settlement is to contact our Arlington, TX, law firm—sooner rather than later.
Suspect Your Spouse Has Hidden Assets? We Can Help Ensure Property Is Fairly Divided
As a community property state, Texas requires that joint assets be divided evenly and justly. There are legal ways to prevent a spouse from acquiring your assets. That can mean proving assets were owned before a marriage. Or, you can establish a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement.
Unfortunately, your spouse may break the law to deny you what is rightfully yours. After searching through records like income statements and investments, you may wonder: where has our money gone? In certain cases, it's possible that your spouse may have hidden assets from you.
If that is the reality, they do not have to get away with it. Our tenacious Arlington, TX, team can help you uncover the truth and properly allocate your assets.
We Offer Virtual Consultations
/
Time can be a significant constraint for many of our clients. However, we are truly a family law firm, and we will work around your family's schedule with convenient virtual consultations.
Choose a Law Firm That Puts Your Well-Being First
Our divorce attorneys make clients feel at ease in a nerve-wracking process. We do this by creating a calm atmosphere for you, while turning up the pressure for those we face in court.
We're here to help, starting with an in-office or virtual divorce consultation. For those who wish to avoid court entirely, David Cook and John Clark can act as mediators or lead you through a low-pressure collaborative divorce.
For a team that truly cares about your outcome, contact our Arlington, TX, law firm. You can also call us at
(817) 572-9900
Need Help Protecting High-Value Assets?
"Look No Further."
"If you're looking for representation, help or advice, look no further."
Andy C.V. - 5-Star Google Review
High-Value Assets in a Divorce Case
High-asset divorces usually involve properties and holdings that are more difficult to divide than a simple savings account. When you have complex assets in your portfolio, ending a marriage can be especially stressful. Fortunately, our Arlington divorce lawyers are able to help you understand your rights and ensure that any property division is conducted properly.
Our divorce attorneys are able to investigate and negotiate the distribution and valuation of assets like:
Businesses
Dividing business assets can be complicated. Assets derived from a family-owned business are typically divided equally. Ownership interests in a corporation are also divided equally, but property technically owned by the corporation is not subject to division in divorce court. Our Arlington lawyers are familiar with the subtleties of business assets and have helped business owners maintain their success even through a divorce.
Real Estate
Real property is subject to the same definitions as any other asset. Real property acquired during the marriage is considered community property, while any real property owned before the marriage, or acquired directly through gift or inheritance, is considered separate property. There are several approaches a couple can take to equally dividing real property, such as a house. Our divorce lawyers will help you figure out the best plan for your situation.
Insurance Policies
Many high-value couples in greater Dallas-Fort Worth have term or permanent life insurance policies that need to be reevaluated in a divorce. In general, an ex-spouse will no longer be considered the beneficiary of a life insurance policy after a divorce is finalized, unless specific "decrees" are properly filed. The divorce lawyers at our Arlington law firm can help you understand the nature of your policy and make sure it continues to meet your best interests.
Investments
Investment accounts created during your marriage are generally considered community property and should be divided equally. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon in high-asset divorce cases for one spouse to have investments kept hidden from the other spouse. At our Arlington law firm, we have relationships with financial experts who can help our clients locate and evaluate all investments relevant to their divorce proceedings.
We Can Bring in Experts To Help With High-Asset Property Division
Properly dividing complex assets usually requires the assistance of financial experts. Our team has relationships with specialists who can help make the process easier.
You Deserve to Be Treated Fairly
Whether you are the higher- or lower-earning spouse in your marriage, you need a lawyer on your side during a high-asset divorce. Without proper legal representation, you are at risk of losing property that should be yours.
At Harris Cook Law - Family Law Division in Arlington, TX, we advocate passionately for our clients in Southlake, Mansfield, and surrounding areas and make sure that their rights are fully protected. Either in mediation or in court, our attorneys can keep the other side from taking advantage of you and give you the best possible start to your new life.
If you are interested in learning more about how our team can help in your specific situation, request a consultation with our attorneys today. We can conduct initial consultations in person at our Arlington office, or during an online consultation that you can attend from the comfort of your home. To request a consultation, fill out our online form or call:
(817) 572-9900
"She really is the best."
"I have been working with Donna for over a year. She is very knowledgable and also kind and empathetic. They take their time with everything they do and not only that but they really care about their clients and the families they work with. I would recommend Donna to anyone because I have worked with other lawyers and she really is the best."
Meghan Matthews - 5-Star Google Review
We Handle High-Asset Divorce & Several Other Family Law Matters
Child Custody
For many parents in Southlake, Mansfield, and nearby, the most difficult aspect of ending a marriage is the question of child custody. The divorce attorneys at our Arlington law firm are very familiar with child custody negotiations and always want to make sure that the best interests of the children are considered first.
In theory, child custody is not handled any differently in a high-asset divorce. The focus of Texas family law is to find the best arrangement for the children. Of course, the financial stability of either parent can affect how a judge in family court may rule. That's why it is especially important that you have a dedicated divorce lawyer on your side who can make sure your financial interests are protected during your divorce case.
Child Support
The question of child support can become a hotly contested issue in a high-asset divorce. In Texas, the parent without primary custody is usually required to pay a percentage of his or her income to the other parent as child support. However, in cases where the parent paying child support has a high monthly income, there is a cap on how much income can be considered in this calculation. The cap changes from year to year based on increases in the cost of living.
While the law states that only a certain amount of a high-earner's income is subject to child support calculations, it also provides judges in family court with the ability to make an exception to the income-cap rule and require a high-earner to pay more. The judge can make this decision if he or she feels that it serves the best interests of the child.
Spousal Support
Spousal support, also known as spousal maintenance or alimony, is sometimes required of high earners when ending a marriage in Texas. High earners will have to pay spousal support if they have been convicted of a family violence offense within two years of the divorce, or if their ex-spouse is deemed to lack earning ability.
Spousal support payments will not last forever. Depending on the length of your marriage, alimony will only be required for five to 10 years. Parties can negotiate alternatives to spousal maintenance in divorce mediation, and financial professionals can help high earners utilize certain strategies to minimize the amount of taxes paid on spousal support payments. When you work with our Arlington divorce lawyers, we will help you arrange an alimony situation that is just and reasonable.
Ensure Your Retirement Is Protected With Detail-Oriented Lawyers
As a couple, you may both have planned for retirement. It's also possible that only one spouse has contributed to 401(k) accounts or earned a pension. Regardless of whether you directly contributed, in a community property state you are both entitled to justly divide those assets.
No detail is too small when it comes to your retirement. David Cook and John Clark can help you divide the contents of those crucial accounts fairly. If you live in Southlake, Mansfield, or nearby and want to learn more about how our law firm can assist you, contact our Arlington, TX, office.
