High-net-worth divorce cases often involve far more than dividing the family home, a couple of pensions, and some savings. They necessitate unravelling complex wealth structures, protecting reputations, and securing long term financial security across generations. The high-net- worth divorce solicitors at Johnson Astills have the experience and expertise you need to navigate the high net-worth-divorce process effectively and achieve a fair outcome.
Please call us free now on 0800 059 0600 or complete a Free Online Enquiry and a member of the team will get back to you soon.
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What Is A High Net Worth Divorce?
The term ‘high-net-worth divorce’ is not defined in English law. Generally speaking, though, family law solicitors and judges use the term in connection with divorces that involve significant assets, complex structures, or very high incomes. This might involve wealth held in businesses, property portfolios, trusts, investments, and pensions that collectively run into the millions of pounds, together with substantial ongoing earnings or bonus arrangements.
High-net-worth individuals are also more likely to have inherited wealth, international connections, and sophisticated tax and estate planning arrangements in place, all of which can make the financial aspects of divorce significantly more intricate. As a result, these cases demand careful strategy and specialist advice from high-net-worth divorce solicitors.
What Issues Do High Net Worth Divorce Typically Involve?
Every couple is different, and so too are the issues that fall to be resolved when they separate. However, the types of issues that our high-net-worth divorce solicitors frequently deal with when advising clients in connection with these types of divorce include the following:
Complex Asset Structures And Valuation
One of the main challenges in high-net-worth divorce cases is identifying and valuing the full extent of the marital wealth. That wealth might be held in a range of vehicles, including the following:
Businesses And Partnerships
Company shares and partnership interests need expert valuation, with attention to liquidity, cash flow, and future prospects. The goal is to ensure a fair division of the asset without damaging the ongoing success of the underlying enterprise.
Trusts And Corporate Vehicles
Wealth may be held through discretionary trusts, offshore companies, or nominee arrangements. The court must decide whether these are genuine third party structures or resources that can realistically be used by one spouse, since this has a significant impact on how it deals with the asset.
Property Portfolios
Larger estates, development sites, and international properties require accurate valuation and may involve planning considerations, local law issues, and fluctuating markets.
Pensions And Investments
High value pensions, share options, and complex investment portfolios often call for specialist input from experts like forensic accountants. Their role is to quantify and explain these assets, and their evidence can be central to achieving a fair outcome.
Hidden Wealth, Disclosure, And Enforcement
In high-net-worth divorce cases, the risk of one or both parties seeking to hide assets and providing incomplete or tactical disclosure can be significant. To ensure a fair settlement, it may be necessary to make an application to court to compel full and frank disclosure. The court can impose cost penalties, freezing orders, and in extreme cases, committal for contempt where a party’s non disclosure is serious and deliberate.
Trusts, Offshore Assets And International Issues
Trusts and offshore structures are common tools in high-net-worth wealth planning. While incredibly useful in the context of wealth preservation, these measures can significantly complicate divorce proceedings.
Cross border elements make careful early advice critical to ensure that the correct strategy is adopted and the relevant steps taken to preserve assets and evidence in all relevant jurisdictions.
Income, Bonuses And Lifestyle
High net worth divorces frequently involve complex income structures. In addition to a party’s salary, bonuses, share options, dividends, or partnership drawings may make up a significant part of earnings. Where this is the case, unique issues can arise, including the following:
- How discretionary bonuses and performance related pay should be treated in assessing income and future financial provision.
- Whether, and for how long, it is appropriate for one spouse to receive spousal maintenance, or whether claims should be settled by way of a one-off lump sum settlement.
- How the parties’ lifestyle, including travel, schooling, domestic help and entertainment, should be treated when assessing reasonable future needs and expectations.
High-net-worth individuals also need to consider the tax and cash flow consequences of different settlement models. Doing so often requires close collaboration between the client, our high-net-worth divorce solicitors, accountants, and financial planners.
How Can Johnson Astills’ High Net Worth Divorce Solicitors Help?
Johnson Astills’ divorce solicitors in Leicester and Loughborough have vast experience dealing with complex and high value divorce cases, including those involving businesses, property portfolios, trusts and international elements. Our team will take the time to understand your asset base, family priorities, financial needs, and long term goals. We will work with you to build a strategy that fully protects your position and that of your family, while aiming to resolve matters constructively wherever possible.
Our high-net-worth divorce solicitors have developed a network of trusted external professionals, such as forensic accountants, pensions experts, and tax advisers, with whom we frequently work to ensure that our clients’ cases are handled in a coordinated manner. We will build a team whose sole focus is on achieving a favourable outcome that safeguards your wealth, your family, and your future.
Please call us free now on 0800 059 0600 or complete a Free Online Enquiry and a member of the team will get back to you soon.
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