Blue Ash High-Asset Divorce Lawyer For Women

Divorce is often incredibly stressful and complicated, especially for those that involve high-value assets. Valuing and dividing significant or complex assets such as property, bank accounts, stocks and bonds, self-owned businesses, and pension accounts can feel like an impossible task.

High net worth divorces not only involve complex property they often also involve spousal support and child support beyond the legal guidelines.

High-asset divorces require the legal guidance of an experienced family law attorney who understands how to divide property in a just and fair manner. The outcome of your divorce will impact you for the rest of your life, so it is essential that your needs are prioritized and your rights protected.

Woodford Sathappan McGee – Providing Exceptional Legal Representation For Women

Our Blue Ash divorce attorneys are highly experienced in high net worth divorces, including those involving hidden assets, business valuation, offshore accounts, and complex marital estates. We have the skills, experience, and resources necessary to give you the best possible chance at securing a bright future full of new opportunities.

At Woodford Sathappan McGee, we are the only family law practice in the Blue Ash, OH, area to represent women exclusively. We are deeply attuned to the difficulties women need to navigate during divorce, and we are committed to guiding you so that you can move on to the next steps of your life feeling confident and secure.

We believe that the attorney-client relationship should be based on trust and understanding. We will take the time to get to know what is important to you and give you the information and legal guidance you need to act from a place of clarity. We take a holistic approach using mediation where possible and are always ready to stand for you in front of a family court judge where necessary.

We offer a free consultation, so contact our law office today at 380-212-3731.

Property Division in Blue Ash, OH

Ohio is an equitable distribution state, which means that rather than property being split down the middle, it should be split in a ‘just and fair manner’.

The first task is to divide assets into separate property and marital property.

Separate Property

Separate property includes assets that belonged to each individual prior to marriage, as well as inheritance and gifts. Separate property assets continue to belong to each individual after the marriage has ended; they are not subject to division.

Ohio law requires that the person claiming separate property be able to ‘trace’ that property, which involves providing evidence that it belongs to them. This can be highly complex but is essential if you want to protect property from being divided by a judge. A family law attorney can help you trace property and protect what is rightfully yours.

Marital Property

Marital property, sometimes referred to as community property, is everything else. Anything acquired by either party that was not an inheritance, gift, or protected by a prenuptial agreement is marital property. Marital property is subject to division, and in equitable distribution states like Ohio, they must be split in a ‘fair and just manner’.

Fair division of property does not equate to a 50/50 split. Instead, many factors can be considered, such as:

• Who has primary custody of any children.
• The needs of each spouse.
• Each spouse’s contribution.
• How long the marriage lasted.
• The ability of each spouse to earn money.

Prenuptial Agreements

It is common for high-asset divorces to involve prenuptial agreements. However, they are not always enforceable. Whether you need help to enforce a prenuptial agreement or you are concerned about whether your prenuptial agreement will limit your ability to maintain the same standard of living after divorce, one of our Blue Ash, OH lawyers, can help.

How Will High-Value Assets Be Divided?

A family law lawyer can help you, and your ex-spouse negotiate an agreement that protects your rights and interests and divides property in a just manner. The judge will review your agreement and determine whether it is in line with Ohio law. If you and your ex-spouse cannot agree, then the judge may make rulings on your behalf. However, this can be costly, and so it is usually in a couple’s best interests to prioritize negotiation where possible.

There are many factors to take into consideration when deciding who receives what assets, and high-net-worth divorces follow the same steps as other types of divorce. However, high-value assets can often be more complex and difficult to divide and require experienced representation and, potentially, third-party expert assistance.

High net worth couples tend to own many types of property, which can include tangible and intangible property as well as hidden assets. Your divorce lawyer may enlist the help of a forensic accountant to help track down hidden assets and offshore assets to ensure that they are accounted for.

Determining Spousal Support in a High Asset Divorce in Blue Ash, OH

Spousal support are payments that one spouse is required to pay to the other. Many divorces do not result in spousal support payments. However, in high asset divorces, it is more likely. Spousal support is in place to ensure that both parties can maintain the same standard of living that they have become accustomed to, and in a high-asset divorce, it is common for one spouse to make significantly more than the other.

Determining how much one party is owed in spousal support is complex, and unlike other states, Ohio does not have a formula for determining the value of payments. The judge can consider any factor that they consider to be relevant.

It is important to have an attorney looking out for your interests so that your future is protected. An experienced attorney will understand how the court weighs and considers each factor.

Some factors that could be considered when determining spousal support include:

• Whether one spouse gave up job opportunities to care for a home and children.
• How much each spouse earns from all sources.
• The tax consequences of the award of spousal support.
• The degree to which each spouse contributed to the marriage.
• The ability of each spouse to make money.
• The length of the marriage.
• The assets and liabilities of each spouse, including retirement benefits.

Determining Child Custody in a High Asset Divorce in Blue Ash, OH

When a couple has a child, both parents are required to financially and emotionally contribute to the upbringing of that child. In Ohio, instead of traditional terms such as sole or joint custody, parents are awarded “parenting rights and responsibilities”.

Parental Rights

Parental rights refer to the right to make important decisions on behalf of the child, such as those involving education, medical care, or religious practice. The court is required to make judgments based on the best interest of the child, which usually keeps both parents in their life as much as possible unless one parent poses a risk to the child’s wellbeing. That means that parental rights are usually shared by both parents.

Parental Responsibilities

Parental responsibilities refer to the amount of time each parent spends with their child; again, this is usually split unless there is a reason not to. While the fairest arrangement may seem like a 50/50 split, this is often not in the best interests of the child. The court will look to create as little disruption to their life as possible.

Usually, one parent will have primary custody, and the other will have visitation rights. A typical visitation schedule will look like one weekday evening and every other weekend.

When determining who has primary custody, many factors will be considered, including:

• Each parent’s time commitments, such as how many hours they work and their ability to care for and spend time with their child.
• The involvement of each parent in the child’s life so far.
• Each parent’s capability to meet the child’s ongoing needs.
• The child’s access to their community, such as other family members, school, church, friends, etc.
• The mental and physical health of each parent.
• The willingness of each parent to arrange for visitation for the other.

Determining Child Support in a High Asset Divorce in Blue Ash, OH

In most divorces, the primary custodial parent receives child support from the other. However, if the primary custodian is the higher earner, then this may not be the case.

Unlike spousal support payments, child support payments are determined by set guidelines. However, for high-net-worth individuals, the guidelines would be insufficient to reflect their combined monthly income. Therefore, it may be necessary to deviate from the guidelines to ensure fair child support payments.

Finding The Best Blue Ash High Asset Divorce Lawyer For Women

Many of the women we work with have never hired an attorney before, which can make the task of making the right choice feel like an overwhelming task. In a high-asset divorce, it is essential that you have experienced representation from someone who understands how to protect your future so that you can maintain the same standard of living after divorce.

An Understanding of State and Federal Law

High asset divorces require a deep understanding of Ohio state law and federal law, as well as the legal guidelines. Therefore, it is important to find a local Ohio law firm with a focus on family law. This focus means that they will have in-depth knowledge of the laws relevant to your case, and they will likely know the judge overseeing your case, allowing them to tailor their strategy and advice.

If a law firm claims to do everything from personal injury to criminal defense, it may not have the experience and resources necessary to do everything possible for your case.

The Ability to Mediate and Litigate

It is important that your law firm is able to offer both mediation and litigation. Mediation is an important part of the divorce process, as it allows couples to come to their own agreements. This saves time and money on court costs and can help individuals to protect what is important to them. However, your attorney also needs the skills necessary to go to court to protect your rights. Otherwise, you could be left vulnerable.

Personalized Support

It is common for women to feel isolated when faced with divorce. Whether you are concerned about the reaction of friends and family, the well-being of your children, or the financial security of your future, divorce is often one of the most difficult things that a person experiences.

Therefore, it is essential that you feel supported throughout your divorce proceedings. Although the best high-asset divorce lawyers in Blue Ash, OH, will probably have a full caseload, they will still take the time to keep you informed, and they should be prompt to answer your questions.

Whether You Like Your Attorney

It is also important that you like your attorney and feel comfortable speaking with them. Divorce cases are usually very personal, and you need to be able to speak openly while feeling supported without judgment. Many family law firms offer free consultations so that you can decide how you feel about your potential attorney and ask any questions that you might have.

Why Choose Woodford Sathappan McGee?

At Woodford Sathappan McGee, we believe that our narrow focus, to help women through family law matters in Ohio, gives us a clear advantage. We are committed to keeping our clients informed and being prompt to answer their questions. We have successfully mediated and litigated hundreds of divorce cases for women, including those involving high-value and complex assets.

Questions to Ask a Potential Divorce Attorney

Your free consultation is an opportunity for you to assess whether your potential attorney is a good fit for your case. Some potential questions you may like to ask are:

• What does a good settlement look like in my case, and how do we get there?
• Do you have experience in mediation and negotiation?
• How can I contact you, and how soon can I expect a response?
• What level of experience do you have litigating on behalf of your clients?
• How much of your time is dedicated to family law in Ohio?
• Can I see testimonials from previous clients?
• What level of experience do you have with high asset divorces?
• Have you obtained successful outcomes for similar cases to mine in the past?
• How much will representation cost me?

High Asset Divorce Attorney – Katie Woodford

Attorney Katie Woodford‘s entire career has been in the field of domestic relations (family law), and she is immersed in high asset, high-conflict divorce, and complex custody matters on a daily basis. This experience gives her a unique ability to navigate cases involving even the most complex assets effectively.

Attorney Katie Woodford’s experience enables her to pursue her goal of supporting women through all stages of divorce so that they can look forward to a bright future. After all, in 2021, Katie Woodford and her partners, Natalie McGee and Hari Sathappan, opened Woodford Sathappan McGee to do exactly that.

Blue Ash Divorce Lawyer For Women FAQ