Complex Divorce

Weiss, Handler, Angelos & Cornwell, P.A.

West Palm Beach Divorce Lawyers

Lawyers serving families in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Pierce, Port St. Lucie and the counties of Palm Beach, Broward, Miami Dade, Martin and St. Lucie, FL.

If you are involved in a high-stakes divorce, Weiss, Handler, Angelos & Cornwell, P.A. are the attorneys you want on your side. We are known for handling complex matrimonial litigation and property settlements involving millions of dollars in assets, including:

• Businesses
• Real estate
• Income producing property
• Retirement accounts
• Investment accounts
• Commingled assets
• Family holdings
• Trusts

The divorce laws of Florida call for equitable distribution of property. In divorces involving significant assets, equitable distribution can involve highly complex issues. For example, if a spouse’s name is added to a bank account which is brought into the marriage, that bank account may become marriage property instead of personal property. Divorce law is complex and it’s important to obtain a lawyer’s advice as soon as possible if you are considering divorce or if your spouse has notified you that he or she wants a divorce.  Carol Kartagener, who is board-certified in divorce and family law, is primarily responsible for handling complex divorce cases.

Valuing Marital Property

A complex property division involves a number of legal steps. To begin with, we hire experts in valuing the marital property involved. We also use techniques such as forensic accounting, tax accounting and property evaluation to help our clients achieve an equitable distribution of property.  If you are a business owner, we can help you take steps to minimize the effect your divorce on your business. If one party is going to retain the business, we could help negotiate a financial offset for the other party.

By helping you understand Florida divorce law as well as how Florida courts have dealt with similar assets in the past, we can help you set realistic expectations and plan accordingly.

Child Support and Child Custody

In Florida, most courts order joint parental responsibility (joint custody) unless there is a compelling reason not to. When children are involved, we pursue strategies to help our clients maximize child custody. The law used to determine which parent has custody in Florida is gender neutral, but in most cases the mother is seen as the primary care giver and is awarded most time with the child.

By state law, Florida uses a formula to determine the amount of child support the parent without primary custody must pay. Considerations used in determining child support include the age and needs of the child, as well as the ability of the parents to contribute to the support of the child.

Divorce Planning

The law firm of Weiss, Handler, Angelos & Cornwell, P.A. offers asset planning services to help minimize the assets that may be subject to equitable distribution in the event of a divorce. By early planning, you can take legal steps to protect your interests and simplify otherwise complex and expensive litigation.