Columbus, OH High Asset Divorce Lawyers
When significant assets, business interests, or complex finances are involved, the stakes demand a higher level of preparation, strategy, and expertise.
A high-asset divorce is not simply a divorce between wealthy people. It is a divorce in which the financial situation is genuinely complicated – involving closely held business interests, stock options, deferred compensation, real estate holdings, retirement accounts, trusts, or complex tax consequences. These cases require more than legal expertise alone. They require a team.
High-asset cases demand more than legal expertise. We work with a trusted network of professionals to build your case.
Uncovering hidden assets and analyzing complex financial records.
Providing court-ready valuations of businesses and professional practices.
Evaluating tax consequences of asset division and settlement structures.
Accurately valuing all real property interests.
Investigating financial fraud and asset concealment.
Expert insight where personal conduct intersects with financial matters.
Every high-asset case is different, but certain issues arise repeatedly. Understanding them early helps you make better decisions throughout the process.
Businesses started or grown during the marriage may be marital property. Valuation requires expert, defensible methodology.
Multiple properties, investment real estate, and commercial holdings all require individual appraisal and careful allocation.
Dividing 401(k)s, pensions, and IRAs requires a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) and careful attention to tax consequences.
Unvested stock options and deferred compensation packages require special treatment and valuation.
Assets held in trust or received as inheritance may be separate property – but commingling can create marital interests.
Forensic accountants can analyze financial records to uncover hidden income, unreported revenue, or inflated expenses.
Ohio law presumes all property acquired during the marriage is marital property. The burden is on the party claiming separate property to trace it clearly. This requires detailed financial records and often expert testimony. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3105.171, separate property includes assets owned before marriage, inheritances, and gifts – but only if they have not been commingled with marital assets.
A high-asset divorce involves complex financial circumstances – not simply a large amount of money. Examples include closely held businesses, multiple real estate holdings, stock options, deferred compensation, trusts, and significant retirement assets.
Ohio courts use several valuation methods including the income approach, market approach, and asset-based approach. The chosen method depends on the type and size of the business. Expert testimony from forensic accountants or business valuators is typically required.
Asset concealment is more common in high-asset cases. Forensic accountants can analyze tax returns, bank records, and financial statements to uncover hidden income or assets. Our firm works with experienced forensic examiners when concealment is suspected.
Not a different attorney – but you need one with the right team and experience. High-asset cases require attorneys who understand complex financial instruments and who work closely with forensic accountants, business valuators, and other experts.
If your divorce involves significant assets, business interests, or complex finances, don’t navigate it alone. Contact Borshchak Law Group for a confidential consultation.