At Advanced Mediation Solutions (AMS), we are highly-skilled professionals who provide a full range of mediation services for high net worth couples who are divorcing, all under one roof. Our experienced mediator is in charge of the process, and our in-house experts can be brought in when needed to handle specific areas of the divorce. We are equipped to handle even the most complex divorces, fully addressing all important issues to help ensure a smooth and seamless process from beginning to end.
Many couples with complex financial issues, such as those with a high net worth, unique investments and family-owned businesses are choosing divorce mediation because of its advantages over traditional litigation. Mediation is an approach that is non-adversarial, cost-effective, and puts high net worth couples in greater control over their divorce settlement.
Our High Net Worth
Divorce Mediation Services
We handle all types of complex financial issues for divorcing spouses. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Business Ownership and Value Calculations: Determining fair market value for family-owned and closely held businesses. This may include partnerships between the spouses, professional practices, and many others.
- Franchise Businesses: We have extensive experience with franchises and franchise ownership. We can provide an in-depth review of any franchises you or your spouse own an interest in, examining not only the value of their tangible assets, but also intangible factors such as goodwill.
- Real Estate Holdings: Residential real estate, vacation homes, apartment buildings, commercial real estate, and other investment property.
- Business Arrangements: Complicated investments stemming from various types of business arrangements. Examples include stock options, deferred compensation, and partnership buyout agreements.
- Retirement Plans: Defined benefit plans such as pensions, defined contribution plans such as 401ks and IRAs, and other types of retirement accounts. Dividing retirement plans during a divorce is a complex process, and it usually requires the creation of a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO).
- Complicated Investments: Stocks, bonds, trusts, international investments, and other complex investments must be evaluated in detail, including the current and future values they represent.
- Unique Assets: Expensive jewelry, classic automobiles, art collections, etc. Unique assets often require consultation with industry specialists to determine their value.
- Tax Consequences: Tax planning and complex tax structures typically occur with substantial wealth, so it is vital to plan effectively. Our team can thoroughly evaluate the tax implications of each financial decision you make during the divorce process to minimize your tax liability exposure..
The Benefits of
Divorce Mediation for
High Net Worth Couples
If you have a high net worth, your divorce can become very costly. For starters, both spouses will likely be asked to pay up to $25,000 (or more) right away for their attorney retainer fee. And if it turns into a long, drawn out litigation procedure, the overall bill can easily top six figures. The financial cost is only part of the equation, however. A protracted court proceeding can also exact a high emotional toll, straining family relationships and making it more challenging to part ways on friendly terms.
Private divorce mediation can save you tens of thousands of dollars, and your divorce can be finalized (in most cases) within just a few months. Some of the other important benefits of mediation include:
Confidentiality: A growing number of celebrity couples are choosing divorce mediation, and for good reason. Litigation is part of the public court record, and even if those records are sealed, they can still be unsealed at a later date under certain legal circumstances. We do not hear much about the divorces of Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, and Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner because these couples opted for divorce mediation. As a result, the details of their proceedings were kept private and out of the hands of the paparazzi.
Flexibility and Control: The family court typically bases the division of assets in a divorce on pre-set formulas. Very seldom do they account for the specific circumstances of couples that have significant and unique financial assets. With divorce mediation, you and your spouse are in control of the decisions (under the skilled guidance of a professional third-party mediator). The financial issues in your divorce are worked out in a private setting that allows for open discussion and creativity.
