OREGON HIGH ASSET DIVORCE LAWYER

When a marriage dissolves it involves more than facing the emotional challenges of the changes ahead. Often, marriages involve significant assets which take on complex financial dimensions and require a great deal of attention to detail. Due to their inherent complexity, these types of divorces take a skilled and sophisticated understanding of business, finance, and accounting along with their interplay with the family law legal judicial system. Not all lawyers are experienced or have the requisite understanding of complex financial matters to handle such high asset dissolutions. However, whether the parties to a divorce are seeking a structured agreement to resolve the matter or looking to litigate the financial aspects of the divorce, having an experienced divorce attorney at all stages is critical.

Complex Property Issues During Divorce Proceeding

Many Oregon divorces involve complex assets that include high valued retirement accounts, closely held corporations or businesses, or other high income raising assets. A scenario that often arises is a closely held family business such as a restaurant, bar, landscaping business, construction business, or professional business that both spouses helped start and grown. Now that the parties are separating, a common struggle between the two is how to continue running the business, whether one person should take full ownership with a buyout by the other, or if the business should be sold in its entirety and the proceeds split equally between the marriage mates. To assist with this decision, our firms goal is to carefully analyze each client’s situation and help formulate a goal that best leads to your personal goals and desires.

Before structuring a plan to reach client goals, however, it is important to obtain accurate and current valuations on all marital property by conducting a thorough investigation of all relevant assets and debts of the marriage. This includes reviewing any prenuptial or post-marital agreement on spousal support (alimony) and property or debt division. Materials relating to various property of the party’s marriage that will need to be gathered regularly includes:

• Income tax capital and income tax charitable contributions yearly carryforwards
• Frequent flyer miles
• Property located in other states
• Vacation homes
• Business vehicle used for personal use
• Collectibles
• Antiques
• Hobby information
• Trusts
• Life insurance
• Season tickets to athletic events
• Retirement assets (401(k), annuities, IRAs, stock options, etc.)
• Investment properties
• Real property values
• Business valuation (including goodwill)
• Value of company assets
• Taxes prepaid
• Bonuses
• Unpaid commissions on deals ready to close but postponed
• Patents and other intellectual property (including royalties)

Sometimes, not all of these items are produced in discovery. Regardless, an attorney in Oregon has the ability to acquire this crucial information by subpoenaing the information directly from the source such as the employer or bank. Other times a forensic accountant, business valuation expert, financial planner, or other finances experts is required to uncover any hidden assets or to define the party’s true level of income. As a full service Portland family law firm, we truly create a team of experienced professionals to help our clients continue enjoying success following a dissolution of their marriage.

Preserving Privacy During Divorce

We take our client’s privacy seriously and understand that not all items need to be disputed through the formal litigation process in court. After all, divorce judgments and their associated files are public record. Often, a privately mediated divorce is a favorable method of helping maintain a client’s privacy while avoiding unnecessarily revealing financial or personal details to the public. Additionally, divorce mediation as an alternative dispute resolution strategy is often much less costly than a fully fought divorce trial which means more of the marital estate is preserved for the parties and their children. However, while the Portland family law lawyers at Gzik Law, PC always use negotiation as a means to resolve legal conflicts, our divorce attorneys have the litigation experience for cases that require trial.

Gzik Law, PC is proud to serve the entire Portland Oregon Metropolitan area, including Portland, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Bethany, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Forest Grove, Scappoose, McMinnville, Cornelius,  Gresham, West Linn, and Oregon City.