High-Asset Divorce Lawyers

Protecting What You've Built in Bucks County, Montgomery County, & Philadelphia County

{Sub:BusinessName} represents business owners, professionals, and families who need a high-asset divorce attorney who understands what’s at stake. Marital property division can be complicated when a business, a retirement account, or real estate with equity enters the equation, and a spouse who is not forthcoming can make it even more complicated. 

Our high-asset divorce representation includes support with the following:

• Marital property division involving real estate, investment accounts, and jointly owned property
• Representation for business owners divorcing, including valuation, buyout negotiation, and protecting day-to-day operations during the case
• 401k distribution and division of pensions and other retirement accounts under Pennsylvania law
• Investigation into hidden assets, unreported income, and undisclosed accounts
• Claims involving the dissipation of marital assets, when a spouse spends, transfers, or wastes marital funds before or during a divorce
• Spousal support and alimony calculations based on actual income and lifestyle, not just a pay stub

Between our founding attorneys, Iriana Blitshtein and Tova Weiss, we bring over 40 years of combined family law and bankruptcy experience to these cases. Our dual focus is especially important in complex divorces involving high assets since divorce and financial strain often surface together; a spouse who is dissipating assets is often doing damage that a bankruptcy-trained eye catches faster than a general family law attorney would.

Marital Property Division Under Pennsylvania Law

Pennsylvania is an equitable distribution state, which means marital property is divided “fairly” rather than equally split 50-50. Marital property includes anything acquired during the marriage, regardless of whose name is on the title. It goes beyond personal property like vehicles, jewelry, artwork, electronics and furniture to include: 

• Real estate, e.g., marital home, land, vacation property purchased during the marriage 
• Marital debts, e.g., car loans, mortgages, credit card balances accumulated during the marriage 
• Financial accounts, e.g., bank accounts, mutual funds, stocks, and bonds
• Retirement benefits, e.g., pensions, 401(k) plans, IRAs accrued during the marriage 
• Business interests, e.g., partnerships, companies, professional practices started or grown during the marriage 

Any separate, non-marital property that increases in value during the marriage will also be considered in the division of assets that follows.

It does not include: property owned by either spouse prior to the marriage; property acquired after the date of final separation; inheritances; third-party gifts received during the marriage; assets excluded in a valid pre- or postnuptial agreement. 

Business Owners Divorcing

When one or both spouses own a business, we often see it become one of the most contested elements of the divorce. They may be at risk of the business being undervalued or of a soon-to-be-ex-spouse suddenly taking an unusual interest in the company's finances. We know what to look for on both fronts.

We work with valuation experts to determine the businessis value, then negotiate toward an outcome that lets you continue operating with as little disruption as possible, whether that means a buyout, an offset against other assets, or another structure that fits your situation. 

401(k) Distribution & Retirement Accounts

Retirement accounts are marital property to the extent that they grew during the marriage. 401(k) distributions and pension divisions require a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, which is a specific court order that allows funds to move between accounts without triggering early withdrawal penalties or immediate tax consequences. 

Part of our role as your divorce attorneys is to ensure this step is handled correctly from the start, since a mistake here can cost you money long after the divorce is final.

Hidden Assets & Dissipation of Marital Assets

These two problems come up often in high-asset cases, and we hear a lot of our clients use the terms interchangeably; however, they are not the same thing. 

• Hidden assets involve a spouse who is concealing money or property that should be part of the marital estate; for example, an offshore account or an unreported side business. 
• Dissipation of marital assets occurs when a spouse spends, transfers, gives away, or wastes marital funds in a way that reduces the amount available for division. This often happens when a spouse is having an affair or struggles with gambling or reckless spending, though it can occur in other circumstances as well.

Pennsylvania courts account for both when determining property distribution in divorce. 

As needed, we use subpoenas, depositions, and forensic accountants to trace hidden funds and build a record showing the court that dissipated assets should be credited back to you in the final division.

Protect Your Financial Future. Contact {Sub:BusinessName}. 

We treat every high asset divorce as the deeply personal, financially consequential matter it is, and we fight to make sure the settlement you walk away with reflects what you built.