High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer in Fort Worth, TX

Yes. Many high-net-worth divorces are resolved through negotiation or mediation rather than trial. Alternate dispute resolution can offer greater privacy, more control over outcomes and expedited finalization. However, if disagreements over valuation, asset division, disclosures or other issues like child custody can’t be resolved outside of court, court intervention may be necessary.

Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are legal contracts that are generally enforceable in Texas, as long as they are drafted properly and certain conditions are met. In the Texas Family Code, they are referred to as premarital agreements and postmarital agreements. To be enforceable, these agreements must:

• Be put in writing.
• Be signed by both parties and done so voluntarily.
• Not be signed under the duress of either party.
• Not contain fraudulent information.
• Include full disclosure of all assets and debts.

As with any Texas divorce, the duration all depends on the complexity of the case and how agreeable the two parties are to the terms. Acrimonious high-asset divorces can go on for years. At a minimum, couples must endure Texas’ mandatory 60-day waiting period after a Petition is filed before a divorce can be finalized. In reality, since high-net-worth divorces can involve complex assets, business valuation and extensive discovery, they tend to take longer to resolve than a traditional divorce.

While the same Texas divorce laws apply to all couples, high-net-worth divorces can involve more complicated financial issues, higher-value assets and extensive asset valuation. This often requires that both parties hire asset and business valuation experts, tracing experts, tax advisors, financial advisors and other experts to weigh in on their case.

In high-income divorces, parents still follow Texas’ standard child support guidelines, though affluent parents may agree to pay more in child support. Spousal maintenance in Texas is governed by statutory limits, though parties may agree to contractual alimony as part of a negotiated settlement. The amount of spousal maintenance depends on the facts of the case, including duration of the marriage, income, earning capacity, and any physical or psychological issues, among other factors.