High Net Worth Divorce Attorneys in South Florida
High-asset divorces require precise valuation, disciplined discovery, and coordination with forensic accountants and tax counsel. Birnbaum, Lippman & Gregoire represents executives, business owners, physicians, and professionals in complex marital estates throughout Broward and Miami-Dade.
Quick answer
A high-net-worth divorce in Florida is one where the marital estate includes closely held businesses, professional practices, executive compensation, trusts, or multi-state real estate that must be valued before it can be divided under Fla. Stat. § 61.075. These cases turn on forensic accounting and expert valuation, not just legal argument. The firm represents business owners, executives, physicians, and professionals across South Florida in these matters.
Complex Divorce & Financial Matters in Florida: key facts
- Valuation date
- Ordinarily the date of filing, unless the court finds another date equitable
- Common experts
- Forensic accountants, business valuators, tax counsel, vocational evaluators
- Goodwill rule
- Enterprise goodwill is marital; personal goodwill generally is not
- Deferred compensation
- RSUs, options, and pensions divided by coverture-style formula for the marital portion
- Disclosure
- Mandatory financial disclosure under Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.285
- Confidentiality
- Sealing and confidentiality orders available for good cause
Overview
A complex divorce is defined less by wealth than by the character of the assets: closely held businesses, professional practices, deferred compensation, partnership interests, real estate portfolios, trusts, restricted stock, and cross-border holdings.
Each of these requires its own valuation approach and its own tax treatment. A confident, coordinated presentation of that evidence — at mediation or at trial — is the difference between an equitable division and a costly one.
How the firm approaches complex divorce & financial matters
We work with a trusted network of forensic accountants, business valuators, and tax specialists selected for the specific issues in your case. Our attorneys manage the discovery record, examine the experts, and translate financial complexity into a clear narrative for the court.
Confidentiality is treated as an operational requirement, not an afterthought — closed hearings, sealed exhibits, and disciplined internal handling of sensitive materials.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are businesses valued in a Florida divorce?
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A qualified valuation expert selects a method — income, market, or asset approach — based on the business type. The valuation date is typically the date of filing, though the court may select a different date in equity.
What is 'enterprise goodwill' versus 'personal goodwill'?
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Enterprise goodwill attaches to the business and is a marital asset subject to division. Personal goodwill attaches to the individual professional and is generally excluded from equitable distribution.
Are trusts protected in a divorce?
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It depends on the trust structure, funding source, and how distributions have been treated during the marriage. A properly drafted third-party trust may be excluded, but commingling and beneficiary control can change the analysis.
How is executive compensation handled?
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Restricted stock, options, RSUs, and deferred compensation are analyzed for the portion earned during the marriage and often divided using a coverture-style formula.
Can filings be kept confidential?
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Financial affidavits and certain filings can be sealed for good cause. We routinely negotiate confidentiality orders in high-asset matters and structure discovery to limit unnecessary exposure.
How is a closely held business divided in a Florida divorce?
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The business itself is rarely split. A valuation expert determines the value of the marital interest using an income, market, or asset approach, and the court then awards the business to the operating spouse while offsetting the other spouse's share with other assets or a structured equalizing payment. Documentation of pre-marital value, capital contributions, and owner compensation drives the outcome.
What is dissipation of marital assets in Florida?
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Dissipation occurs when one spouse intentionally wastes, depletes, or transfers marital assets for a purpose unrelated to the marriage after the marriage is irretrievably broken — gambling losses, gifts to a third party, or hidden transfers, for example. Under Fla. Stat. § 61.075(1)(i), a court may assign the dissipated value to the responsible spouse as part of equitable distribution.
Can a spouse hide assets in a Florida divorce?
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Florida requires mandatory financial disclosure under Family Law Rule 12.285, and concealment carries serious consequences including sanctions, fee awards, and reopening of a judgment. Where concealment is suspected, counsel uses subpoenas to financial institutions, lifestyle analysis, tracing of transfers, and forensic examination of business records to reconstruct the true marital estate.
Discuss your matter, in confidence.
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.)