Complex Property Division

Complex Divorce Asset Division and Property Settlement

Long-term marriages, high net-worth couples, certain military benefits, or family business assets can all present difficult and complicated problems in the equitable division of property in a divorce case. For dependable advice and skilled representation to protect your interests in a complex property division case, contact the Beverly family law firm of Annette L. Baker Doolin & Associates.

Any divorce case involving complex asset division requires sound legal advice and formulation of a thoughtful and effective strategy to achieve the best possible outcome. Your judgment with respect to your immediate and longer-term interests can be obscured by such emotions as anger, guilt, fear, or a desire for vengeance. Attorney Annette Baker not only knows the basics of property division in divorce under the equitable distribution principles of Massachusetts law, but also understands such considerations as:

• Accurate characterization of assets, such as those held in family trusts or acquired before marriage, for negotiation or litigation purposes
• Division of debts and other liabilities between the spouses
• Tax implications of decisions concerning asset division, alimony, and child support
• Enforceability of prenuptial agreements, which need to be fair and reasonable both at the time of execution and at the time of the divorce
• Valuation of residential and investment real estate holdings, family business assets, and equity in closely held corporations
• Coordinating property settlements with alimony negotiations
• Treatment of stock options as income rather than property
• Division of military pension benefits where the military spouse was in active service for ten years or more

We work with business appraisers, forensic accountants and actuaries to locate and properly value the assets for equitable distribution of the marital estate. In Massachusetts, the court doesn't need to divide the assets equally, but instead must divide them equitably. An equitable share may give one spouse more or less than half of the assets depending on a number of factors such as conduct of the parties during marriage, contribution to the acquisition and preservation of the assets, income, length of the parties, education, age, health among others.

As your divorce attorney, Annette Baker can assert and protect your interests while making sure that your obligations with respect to asset disclosure are fully and timely satisfied. She can also keep an eye out for signs of fraud, improper transfers of hard assets or securities, or attempts to hide assets, any of which can indicate that your spouse is trying to depress the value of the marital estate to your disadvantage. We can then take steps to protect you.

Whether your main property division concerns have to do with asset protection, tax planning, challenging the terms of a prenuptial agreement, or a reasonable suspicion of fraud on the part of your spouse, we can help you. Contact North Shore divorce lawyer Annette Baker in Beverly's Cummings Center to learn more about your legal alternatives.