High-Asset Divorce Lawyer for Men in Atlanta, GA
Most men want to protect their wealth when they divorce. You may know men who have been left in financial straits when their marriages ended, and you want to prevent that outcome.
Your spouse and children are entitled to some of your assets, but a high-asset divorce lawyer for men in Atlanta, GA can ensure the settlement is fair. Contact the skilled high net worth divorce attorneys at the Atlanta Divorce Law Group, who will work diligently to help you meet your objectives and achieve a fair result.
What Does Equitable Distribution Mean?
Georgia divides marital property according to an equitable distribution standard. Spouses must divide their marital property in a way that is fair under the circumstances. The division does not need to be equal, and one spouse often leaves the marriage with a larger share of the marital property.
Marital property is anything either spouse acquired during the marriage, regardless of how it is titled or registered, who made the purchase, or the source of the funds. Property owned before marriage, gifts to one spouse, and inheritances are usually not considered marital property. However, your spouse could gain an interest in your separate property if you do not keep it segregated or you use it for family purposes.
When a couple cannot reach a property settlement, a family court judge must divide the marital property. They consider numerous factors, including the length of the marriage, the value of each spouse’s separate property, and each spouse’s financial and non-economic contributions to the marriage.
Valuing the Marital Property
Divorcing couples must know the value of their marital property before they can divide it fairly. Arriving at an agreed value often requires the services of appraisers, business valuation experts, and tax professionals.
Our Atlanta attorneys have a network of capable professionals to call upon for valuation services for couples with significant assets, but the process takes time. If you have significant wealth, prepare for the valuation process to require several months.
Alimony
Spousal support is not mandatory. Georgia family court judges may grant it when a spouse needs help establishing a separate household and maintaining their pre-divorce lifestyle.
If your spouse will leave the marriage with limited separate property and does not currently have lucrative job opportunities, a court may consider granting time-limited spousal support. Indefinite alimony is typically granted only after a long marriage or when a spouse’s health or age prevents them from becoming self-supporting.
How Wealth Impacts Parenting Plans
If you have minor children, you and your spouse will need to create a parenting plan that includes provisions for child support. Georgia family court judges consider these plans in light of the children’s best interests. Parenting plans for high-net-worth couples must take into account the lifestyle the children enjoyed before the divorce and try to preserve it.
Child support is based on a published formula that only considers combined monthly incomes of less than $40,000 a month. Official Code of Georgia §19-6-15(7)(A) allows the family court judge to deviate from the formula amount when the child comes from households with a higher monthly income. Most will consider the formula amount a starting point and then add to it to preserve the children’s pre-divorce standard of living.
Work With an Atlanta Attorney If You Are a Wealthy Man Seeking a Divorce
Substantial wealth complicates and slows the divorce process. Ensuring your divorce is fair, preserves a reasonable portion of your wealth, and has no unexpected tax consequences requires the services of a high-asset divorce lawyer for men in Atlanta, GA.
The attorneys at the Atlanta Divorce Law Group frequently handle marriage dissolution for high-net-worth couples. Reach out to one of our intake specialists to learn more about our expertise in this area.
