Orange County, FL High-Net-Worth Divorce Attorney

Aerial picture of a suburban neighborhood in Orange County, Florida

High-net-worth divorces involve more than the usual number of complications. If you have extensive assets, including real estate, investments, and/or valuable collections, you need a divorce attorney with knowledge and experience dealing with high-net-worth divorce. If you reside in Orange County, Florida, Orlando Family Team is the place to call for a high-net-worth divorce. 

Lead attorneys Ophelia Bernal-Mora and Andrew Nickolaou are well-practiced in handling all aspects of high-net-worth divorce, including asset distribution, spousal support (alimony), child custody, child support, family businesses, and projected future income. You can depend on them to protect those you love as well as the wealth you have worked so hard to accumulate as you go through this difficult period. Contact us now so we can help you restructure your family in a positive way with as little turmoil as possible.

Why Divorcing High-Net-Worth Individuals in Orange County Choose Orlando Family Team 

Our reputation for powerful legal representation, integrity, and compassion extends well beyond Central Florida. We pride ourselves on having a unique combination of sharp skills and sensitivity to family dynamics, perhaps a result of our being a husband and wife-team. In any case, you will find us to be efficient as well as empathic and always aware of protecting your best interests. 

Because of our considerable experience with high-net-worth divorces, we have developed effective strategies to deal with related legal and financial matters. As diplomatic negotiators, we always try to shape a reasonable agreement with your spouse’s attorney without going to court. Nonetheless, we are able to be as aggressive as necessary to win you a favorable decision if your case goes to trial.

Addressing the Issues of High-Net-Worth Divorce in Orange County

Divorce laws differ from state to state so it’s essential to work with a Florida divorce attorney who has familiarity with all pertinent state laws regarding high-net-worth divorce. In Florida, divorce law requires “equitable distribution,” i.e. that marital assets be divided fairly, but not necessarily 50-50. Equitable distribution only applies to marital property — property acquired or earned during the marriage. Excluded from marital assets are:

  • Assets that either spouse brought to the marriage
  • Inheritances bequeathed to only one spouse
  • Personal injury awards to one spouse
  • Gifts given personally to only one spouse

Notably, gifts given to one spouse by the other during the marriage are considered marital property.

Steps Orlando Family Team Will Take During the Discovery Phase of Divorce

In order to best serve you, we must first perform a thorough analysis of combined marital assets and debts. We will pay particular attention to uncovering any assets your spouse may be hiding in overseas bank accounts or investments or devaluing as a means of denying you your fair share. 

To counteract any such subterfuge, we have a network of experts available to assess the true value of marital property, such as antiques, jewels, cars, and other collectibles. Our investigatory work will also include checking for withdrawals from joint bank accounts prior to the divorce filing, financial statements, tax documents, pay stubs, and business accounts to protect you from being treated unfairly.

Spousal Support (Alimony) in Orange County

Decades ago, when marriages typically included only one working spouse, spousal maintenance was most often part of the divorce agreement. Now that most marriages include two working spouses, that is no longer the case. Still, under Florida law, three kinds of spousal support may be part of a divorce agreement:

  • Rehabilitative to provide one spouse with help during the transitional period 
  • Durational to provide help for a certain period (e.g. while children are young)
  • Permanent when one spouse is much older, infirm, or disabled 

(Usually, permanent support is awarded only after a long-term marriage, and is discontinued when the receiving spouse remarries or dies)

Whatever the circumstances, our Orange County high-net-worth divorce lawyers will be at your side. When necessary, we will work hard to make sure you receive the spousal support you deserve. On the other hand, we will fight to prevent you from being fleeced by having to unfairly support an ex who is already affluent.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements in Florida

Prenuptial or postnuptial agreements are more likely to be part of a high-net-worth divorce than a split between two middle-class spouses, particularly if one partner had much higher assets at the time of the marriage. In spite of many couples’ reluctance to consider the possibility of divorce early on, the fact that almost half of all marriages currently end in divorce may make a premarital or postnuptial agreement practical though unromantic. 

In situations in which one partner brings great wealth, perhaps a legacy of family funds or family businesses to the wedding table, there may be a tradition of such documents for generations.

Courts tend to find prenup agreements more acceptable than postnuptial agreements, but either way, you require a savvy high-net-worth divorce attorney to help you navigate these tricky waters.

Considering High-Net-Divorce in Orange County? Contact Orlando Family Team Now

We have spent over two decades successfully handling high-net-worth divorce cases in Orange County. We understand the financial and emotional twists and turns of such proceedings and how hard they are on you and your family. Contact us today to find the capable, caring attorneys you seek. We will begin protecting your loved ones, your assets, and your peace of mind as soon as you call.