High-Net-Worth Divorce & Separation Lawyers Worldwide.

The primary difference is the complexity of the “marital estate.” In a standard divorce, the main assets are usually a house and a 401(k). In a High Net Worth (HNW) divorce, the assets often include illiquid business interests, stock options, commercial real estate, and offshore trusts. This changes the legal strategy from simple division to complex valuation. You are not just splitting a bank account; you are determining the future profitability of a company or the tax basis of an international investment portfolio.

Lawyers use a process called “formal discovery” combined with forensic analysis. They subpoena bank records to find wire transfers sent to known tax havens. They analyze tax returns for income sources that do not match known deposits. If a spouse moves money to a shell company, a lawyer traces the digital footprint of that transaction. They often seek a court order to freeze assets immediately so the money cannot be moved again while the investigation is ongoing.

Yes, because a business is rarely worth just what is in its bank account. A forensic accountant calculates the “Fair Market Value” by analyzing cash flow, goodwill, and future earnings potential. They also normalize the books to add back personal expenses—like family cars or vacations—that were run through the company. This ensures your spouse cannot artificially lower the company’s value (and your payout) by hiding profits as business expenses.

Stock options are divided based on why they were granted. If they were a reward for past work done during the marriage, they are fully marital property. If they are an incentive for future work, only a portion is marital. Lawyers use a “coverture fraction” formula to calculate this. They divide the months you were married during the vesting period by the total vesting period. This determines exactly what percentage of the stock belongs to the spouse and what belongs to the employee.

Yes, but only if you have not “commingled” the funds. An inheritance is generally separate property. However, if you deposited that money into a joint checking account or used it to buy a family home, it may have legally transformed into marital property. A lawyer uses “asset tracing” to prove that the current funds originated from the inheritance. They gather the paper trail to convince the judge that this specific money should remain yours alone.

Standard alimony formulas fail when a spouse earns a $200,000 base salary but a $1 million fluctuating bonus. Lawyers often negotiate a two-part structure: a fixed monthly payment based on the base salary, plus a “true-up” payment calculated as a percentage of the annual bonus. This ensures the support reflects the actual lifestyle of the marriage without forcing the payer to commit to a high monthly number that they might not be able to afford in a bad year.

Divorce filings are public records, but a lawyer can keep the sensitive details private. They often file a motion to seal specific documents that contain financial data or information about children. More commonly, they move the case out of the public court system entirely by hiring a “private judge” or using binding arbitration. This keeps the arguments, evidence, and final settlement confidential, shielding your reputation from public scrutiny.

No, they can be challenged. A lawyer can overturn an agreement if they prove you signed it under duress (e.g., being handed the paper on the morning of the wedding). They can also attack it if there was a “failure of disclosure,” meaning your spouse hid assets when the contract was signed. If the terms are “unconscionable”—meaning so heavily weighted against one person that it shocks the conscience—a judge may refuse to enforce it.