Property Division Attorney in Hingham, Massachusetts
How do courts value and divide complex assets?
How do courts value and divide complex assets?
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Well, there’s a lotta considerations when it comes to complex assets. In fact, these are some of the hardest cases that we face as family law attorneys. When we say complex assets, we’re dealing with everything from small businesses to offshore accounts to complex forms of deferred compensation like stock options or real estate that’s located out of state. And when we’re trying to valuate these assets, the first things we have to do is discover the assets. Sometimes they’re hidden, sometimes they are difficult to evaluate, and we’ll have to bring in an outside expert, whether that’s a business valuator or a real estate appraiser or some other expert to try to set a value for some of these assets. We also see assets like expensive collections, artwork, things that people have in their house that tend to be unique and have substantial value. Courts will look carefully at what an expert reports in terms of a value for these complex assets. A party can only offer so much evidence in terms of their opinion of value, so oftentimes we hire an expert, we coordinate the valuation process, and then we present that to a court as part of the divorce.
Hingham, MA family law attorney Jason V. Owens explains complex assets are valued and divided. He points out that complex assets present some of the most challenging issues in family law cases. These can include everything from small businesses and offshore accounts to deferred compensation like stock options, or real estate located out of state. The first step in handling these assets is discovery—identifying all assets, which can sometimes be hidden or difficult to evaluate.
To establish accurate valuations, he often engages outside experts, such as business valuators, real estate appraisers, or other specialists. Unique assets, like valuable collections or artwork, also require careful assessment due to their substantial and often subjective value. Courts give significant weight to expert valuations, as parties can only offer limited personal opinions on value. He emphasizes that coordinating the valuation process with experts and presenting it effectively to the court is a critical part of managing complex assets in divorce proceedings.
