Morristown Divorce Lawyers Help Clients With High Net Worth Asset Division

Last updated on January 30, 2025

Dividing assets in a high-asset divorce requires more than simply dividing a house and belongings. You may have multiple homes, a family business or business executive benefits. While equitable distribution applies to all divorce cases, equitable distribution takes on a whole new meaning when some of the assets are intangible or must go through a valuation process.

At the family law firm of Laufer, Dalena, Jensen & Doran, LLC, we have worked with thousands of clients facing a range of economic and property issues. We are accustomed to sophisticated employment arrangements, retirement benefit division, and property division involving multiple homes and businesses. To speak with a knowledgeable Morristown complex asset division lawyer about your divorce, contact us today.

Complex Property Valuation And Division Attorneys Mount Olive, New Jersey

When your marital estate includes intangible assets such as investments and business properties or assets that have not fully matured, it is important to work with a family law attorney who has experience handling these issues. We can help you value and divide complex assets such as:

• Stock options and restricted stock: Stock options must be included in the equitable property division if they were provided because of past performance during the marriage.
• Pension plans and retirement accounts: The portion of a pension that was acquired during a marriage is subject to equitable distribution.
• Business executive benefits: Highly compensated individuals may have restricted stock or other forms of deferred compensation/wealth accumulation plans that need to be addressed.
• Multiple homes: Multiple homes, vacation homes and other extensive property must be valued and divided. Who should keep the family home? Should any of the property be sold?
• Businesses: Family-owned businesses must be taken into account during a divorce. How much is your family business worth? Will one spouse continue to run the business?

Working With Experts To Value Your Property

In many high net worth asset cases we handle, we will call on accountants to determine the tax impact on the division of particular assets. While some assets may appear initially desirable, once you factor in tax laws, you may change your mind or wish to retain a different part of the family business or property portfolio.

When extensive real estate or family-owned businesses are involved, we have appraisers ready to value the property or businesses. This is to give you the best possible idea of the value and desirability of your properties.

We will also work with pension experts and other qualified financial experts to ensure that all family assets are accounted for and your rights are protected.

What To Do When Your Spouse Hides Assets From The Divorce Settlement

A contentious divorce can be even more difficult, especially if your ex is trying to hide assets.

When the numbers don’t seem to add up, and you think your spouse may be hiding assets from the divorce settlement, here are a few places they might be, and a few tips to help combat these under-handed tactics.

1: My Spouse is Hiding Assets with a Third Party

Tangible assets such as jewelry and valuable artwork can be hidden with a third party, possibly a relative or a close friend. Additionally, your spouse could potentially deposit money into this third party’s bank account if they are trusted enough. They could also set up “dummy” accounts in the name of a shell business and transfer valuable stocks, bonds, and investments into this account.

The best way to combat these tactics is to consult with an experienced family law attorney. Your attorney will have trusted investigators look into the situation, and once evidence of the hidden assets has been discovered, your divorce attorney will be able to present that evidence to the court, and use it to negotiate a much more favorable settlement for you than if your ex had simply declared those assets from the get-go.

2: My Spouse is Overpaying the IRS

Another common method of hiding assets during a divorce settlement is that of overpaying the year’s taxes. By overpaying taxes, the marriage’s liquid assets will be diminished and as a result, so will your division of asset settlement and any support settlements you negotiate.

Then, the following year, the IRS will apply the extra amount paid from the previous year towards the current year’s taxes, effectively letting your spouse pay his taxes with the marital resources.

3: My Spouse is Purposely Not Collecting Overdue Invoices and Yearly Bonuses

Another commonly used tactic for hiding assets from a divorce settlement is to purposely delay billing clients until after the divorce settlement has been finalized. This can occur when your spouse or the family owns their own business. By delaying payment from clients, potential earnings which should have been part of the marital property are now hidden from the divorce settlement.

Your spouse may also request his or her employer to delay any potential raises/bonuses until after the divorce has been finalized. This effectively hides those earnings from your divorce settlement agreement, when legally they should have been subject to equitable distribution.

How to Stop Your Spouse From Hiding Assets

If you believe your spouse is potentially hiding assets from your divorce settlement, your best recourse is to consult with an experienced divorce attorney. They in turn will be able to contact forensic accounting experts, people with whom your attorney has worked with in the past, and knows to be effective and reliable.

Once they have fully investigated the case, your attorney will be able to present the accountant’s findings to the court, and ensure all of the marriage’s assets are properly and fairly divided.

It is also important that you inform yourself of your marriage’s finances. The more you know about your family’s income, expenses, debts, and investments, the more you can help your divorce attorney when it comes time to divide the marriage’s assets.

Practicing exclusively family law, our firm has seen all of the tricks a spouse might use to hide assets in a divorce settlement, and we know exactly how to find these assets, and secure you the divorce settlement you deserve.

Contact Our Morristown Complex Asset Division Lawyers

At the law offices of Laufer, Dalena, Jensen & Doran, LLC, many of our lawyers are AV Preeminent-rated, signifying the highest industry standards in legal knowledge, communication abilities and experience.

We also feature many family law attorneys nominated to the Super Lawyers/Rising Stars Super Lawyers list as it relates to family law, the dates of which you can see below.

We are intimately familiar with all the nuances and pitfalls of divorce litigation, and we are ready to use our expertise to help secure the best possible complex asset division settlement. To speak with one of our lawyers today, contact us online or through our Morristown offices at 973-975-4043.