Business Owners & Professional Practices

When one or both spouses own a business or a professional practice, the divorce turns on questions most family law cases never reach: what the business is worth, how much of that value is community versus separate property, what income it actually produces for support purposes, and how one spouse can be bought out without harming the enterprise.

I have handled these questions for physicians, business owners, and other professionals throughout my career. The work typically involves a business appraiser or forensic accountant, and it involves judgment about when that expense is justified. A well-run valuation process, started early, usually produces a settlement. A poorly run one produces a trial.

If you own a business or practice, or your spouse does, the most important decision you will make is the first one: who frames the financial picture. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your situation.