Are you facing a divorce that involves significant assets in Austin, Texas? Call the Law Office of Ben Carrasco: Austin Family Law & Divorce Lawyer for a consultation at (512) 320-9126. Our award-winning Austin high-net-worth divorce lawyer can provide dedicated legal representation and fight to protect your interests throughout the divorce process.
Our firm focuses on family law matters that demand careful attention to financial detail. With 18 years of experience, Austin family law attorney Ben Carrasco has guided clients through divorces involving complex assets time and time again. You can count on our firm to handle your case with the level of skill it requires as well.
Why Trust the Law Office of Ben Carrasco: Austin Family Law & Divorce Lawyer With My High-Net-Worth Divorce in Austin, TX?
A high-net-worth divorce presents challenges that go beyond what a typical dissolution involves. Choosing the right Austin divorce attorney in these circumstances is one of the most consequential decisions you’ll make as a result.
The Law Office of Ben Carrasco has spent nearly two decades helping Austin families resolve difficult legal matters just like these. Here is what makes our firm the right choice for your high-net-worth divorce:
- 18 years of hands-on experience handling complex family law cases in Texas
- A thorough understanding of how Texas community property law applies to high-value estates
- Established working relationships with financial experts who can accurately value complex assets
- A strategic approach to uncovering hidden assets and preventing the undervaluation of marital property
- Led by a board-certified family law attorney by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, an honor only a few percent of lawyers in the state receive
- Focused attention on each case, ensuring that your financial future is never treated as an afterthought
- Willingness to pursue aggressive litigation if negotiations fail to produce a fair outcome
Call us today so we can begin evaluating your case and developing a plan to protect what matters most to you. Our Austin high-net-worth divorce attorney is ready to get to work for you right away.
How Does the Texas Divorce Process Work?
Before filing for divorce in Texas, you must meet certain residency requirements. At least one spouse must have lived in the state for six months. Additionally, you need to have been a resident of the county where you plan to file for at least 90 days.
Texas allows both no-fault and fault-based divorce. In a no-fault divorce, you can cite “insupportability,” which simply means the marriage has become unworkable due to conflict. Fault-based grounds include allegations such as adultery. In some cases, pursuing a fault-based divorce can sometimes influence how the court divides property.
After the divorce petition is filed and your spouse is served, there is a mandatory 60-day waiting period before the divorce can be finalized. During that window, both sides typically begin the discovery process, where financial records and other relevant documents are exchanged. If you and your spouse are able to reach an agreement on all outstanding issues, the court can approve the settlement.
Cases that remain disputed will eventually proceed to trial, where a judge will make the final decisions.
What Makes a High-Net-Worth Divorce Different From a Standard Case?
Not all divorces carry the same level of financial complexity. When a couple has accumulated significant wealth during their marriage, the process of identifying and dividing that wealth becomes far more involved.
Several factors set high-net-worth divorces apart from standard cases:
- The marital estate may include business ownership interests that require professional appraisal
- Investment portfolios, stock options, and retirement accounts often need specialized valuation
- Real estate holdings across multiple properties can complicate the division process
- One or both spouses may have trust funds or inheritance that must be properly classified
- Tax consequences tied to asset transfers can significantly affect the net value each party receives
- There is a greater risk that one spouse may attempt to conceal assets
Each of these factors demands careful legal and financial analysis. That’s exactly what we can provide you with if you hire us to represent you.
How Does Texas Divide Property in a High-Net-Worth Divorce?
Texas follows community property principles, which means that most assets acquired during the marriage belong to both spouses. However, community property in Texas is not automatically split down the middle. Instead, the court divides it in a manner that is “just and right.”
Separate property belongs exclusively to one spouse and is generally not subject to division. Assets that qualify as separate property include:
- Property owned by either spouse before the marriage
- Gifts received by one spouse during the marriage
- Inheritances directed to one individual spouse
- Certain personal injury settlements (excluding lost wages)
One of the biggest challenges in a high-net-worth divorce is distinguishing between community and separate property. Over the course of a long marriage, funds often become mixed together in shared accounts. This is known as “commingling,” and it can blur the line between what belongs to the marital estate and what remains separate. Tracing the origins of these funds typically requires forensic accounting expertise.
Spousal Maintenance in a Texas High-Asset Divorce
Spousal maintenance (sometimes called alimony) is not guaranteed in every Texas divorce. The state has specific eligibility requirements that must be met before a court will order these payments.
Generally, a spouse may qualify for maintenance if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and that spouse lacks the ability to earn enough income to meet basic needs. Other qualifying circumstances may also apply, such as situations involving family violence.
If maintenance is awarded, the court evaluates several factors to determine the amount and duration:
- The length of the marriage
- Each spouse’s financial resources and earning ability
- The education and employment skills of the spouse requesting support
- Whether one spouse contributed to the other’s professional development during the marriage
- The age and physical condition of the requesting spouse
In high-net-worth cases, disputes over spousal maintenance can become particularly contentious. This makes having an attorney on your side all the more important.
How a Forensic Accountant Can Strengthen Your Divorce Case in Austin, TX
In many high-net-worth divorces, the true value of the marital estate is not immediately obvious. A forensic accountant can be one of the most valuable members of your legal team.
These financial experts specialize in:
- Conducting detailed valuations of privately held businesses
- Tracing commingled funds back to their original source to distinguish separate from community property
- Identifying hidden finances that a spouse may be attempting to keep out of the proceedings, like those being held offshore
- Analyzing income streams to ensure accurate reporting of earnings
- Calculating the tax impact of various property division scenarios
Our firm can work with trusted financial professionals who have extensive experience in high-asset divorce cases. Their findings can be invaluable toward ensuring your interests are protected.
Conservatorship and Your Children’s Future
If you share children with your spouse, conservatorship (what most people refer to as custody) will be a central issue in your divorce. Texas courts prioritize the best interest of the child above all else when making these determinations.
Texas recognizes two forms of conservatorship. A managing conservator holds primary decision-making authority over matters like education and healthcare. A possessory conservator typically has visitation rights and may share in some decisions. In many cases, parents are named joint managing conservators, meaning they share responsibilities.
High-net-worth divorces can add layers of complexity to conservatorship disputes. For instance, disagreements may arise over things like private schooling and the overall lifestyle each parent can provide. Courts will also examine each parent’s living situation and their ability to foster a stable environment for the child.
Our family law firm can help you pursue an arrangement that serves your child’s well-being. Get in touch with us today for more information.
Can a Prenuptial or Postnuptial Agreement Affect Your Case?
If you and your spouse signed a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement during the marriage, that document could play a significant role in your divorce proceedings. These agreements often outline how assets will be divided and whether spousal maintenance will be paid.
Texas courts will generally enforce a valid prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. However, there are circumstances under which these agreements can be challenged:
- The agreement was signed under duress or coercion
- One spouse did not fully disclose their assets before the agreement was executed
- The terms of the agreement are so one-sided that enforcement would be unconscionable
We can either contest an agreement or work to uphold its terms, as applicable to the facts of your case.
Your financial security should not be left to chance during a divorce. The Law Office of Ben Carrasco: Austin Family Law & Divorce Lawyer has 18 years of experience helping Austin families protect their assets and their futures during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
Now, our Austin high-net-worth divorce attorney is here to do the same for you. Contact us today for a consultation to get started with your case.