No divorce is fun to go through, and when there are thousands upon thousands of dollars of assets on the line, it can become incredibly difficult to negotiate. If neither side wants to compromise, a high-asset divorce quickly becomes a long, drawn-out affair. Fortunately, there are ways to get the most out of a high-asset divorce, so you can move on with your life with the assets you deserve.
One of the first things you should do is to call a valuation expert. You need to know the true value of your assets before you can negotiate. Your spouse may want to call his own expert in, and that’s fine. You can compare the values they come up with and average them, or you can work with a third to see which values seem correct.
Another thing to remember is that you may have life-insurance policies, retirement accounts, stocks or other funds that need to be divided. If you’re worried about hidden assets, print out your bank accounts and look into your husband’s credit reports. You may find debts on credit reports that show certain assets. For example, car payments indicate that you have a vehicle that is part of your property, and a mortgage indicates that there is property.
It’s important to protect yourself as the spouse who earns less. You may feel you’re entitled to less since you put less money into your marriage, but that’s not true. Not all value comes with a dollar sign, and the courts do want to see an equitable distribution of your assets. Our website has more on what to expect as you work through your divorce.