What is High Net Worth Separation or Divorce in BC?
High net worth divorces in BC and Vancouver are generally defined as divorces in which the spouses together have greater than $1,000,000 in liquid assets. High net worth divorces, especially in BC, include several assets such as businesses, shares, investments, stocks, savings, trusts, etc., and can be extremely complicated.
Our family lawyers in Vancouver regularly deal with high net worth separations and divorces, including assets up to a billion dollars. High net worth divorces require extreme expertise and experience in all aspects of family law. We have successfully defended many high-profile high net worth cases, some of which are reported here.
Issues High Net Worth Family Lawyers Need to Know About
- How to reduce any tax obligations arising from division of assets or spousal support;
- Who to engage to value business assets and what method to use to ensure you do not pay more than you have to;
- Who to engage and how to determine self-employment or corporate income;
- How to read, analyze and use financial statements for your business in your favour;
- How to argue whether retained corporate earnings or working capital should or should not be a part of your income for child or spousal support purposes;
- How to protect you against having to pay spousal support from your estate after death;
- How to cap spousal support or negotiate an amount, giving you a clean break, protecting you from any continued financial claims throughout your life.
- How to determine child support payable and how to use tax advantages when paying child or spousal support;
- How to reduce the time and costs of litigation;
- How to ensure your reputation does not get harmed or damaged as a result of litigation which is often public.
Disclosing Finances in a Divorce
High net worth divorce is often more complicated than other family law cases. A lawyer will need to periodically review all your monthly bank accounts for your personal and corporate entities.
It may be that your spouse has alleged that you have written off too many expenses against corporate earnings, and therefore, your income is higher than what you have reported to the CRA.
This, if proven true, can get you in trouble with the CRA. Our family lawyers are highly experienced and familiar with these issues and can act on your behalf to protect you against false allegations in your matrimonial litigation.
Learn How a Divorce Attorney Can Help
Most of the divorce cases we handle are high net worth, and we have professional relationships with the best corporate experts and evaluators in BC to assist us in finding the best outcome for your case.
Get Experienced Legal Advice from a High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer in Vancouver
Our experienced divorce attorneys can guide you towards the right path, using effective and crucial negotiation techniques, to ensure you are able to continue leading your businesses with peace of mind and (hopefully), a quick resolution to your family law issues.
Consult with our award-winning legal team for advice and guidance. Call 604-974-9529 or get in touch with us today.