One thing most California spouses might agree on is that marriage can be quite challenging at times. Whether you’ve only been living the married life for a year or two or you have been with your spouse for decades, you’ve likely overcome some tough times in your relationship. You happen to reside in a state where many celebrities live. They often experience serious marital problems too. The only difference is that their stories are often told in public.
That being so, you may relate to numerous issues that many celebrities have experienced in divorce. Then again, if you haven’t filed a petition yet, you might be able to avoid certain problems by reading about some of the most contentious and expensive divorces in Hollywood.
Good effort gone bad
You may be one of many California spouses who have been trying for some time to keep your marriage together. Reality TV star Shannon Beador was in that category after her husband David had an extramarital affair. They even renewed their vows at a surprise birthday party to celebrate 16 years of marriage but ultimately decided to divorce. Beador offered more than $1 million to his ex to evenly divide assets. He’s also paying $10,000 total per month in spousal and child support.
Community property states
If you divorce in California, you should first be aware that it’s a community property state, meaning the court considers all marital property equally owned. If you don’t have a prenuptial agreement, the judge will likely split all your assets 50/50 between you and your ex. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently divorced in another community property state and did not have a prenup in place. He privately settled his divorce to the approximate tune of $36 billion, making his former wife the wealthiest woman in the world.
Extenuating circumstances
Perhaps you’ve been dealing with some problematic issues that you believe should be mentioned in court. Some troubling circumstances can complicate divorce, such as domestic abuse. Johnny Depp’s former wife accused him of abuse. He actually also accused her of the same, and they ultimately signed a non-disclosure agreement regarding the issue. Depp shelled out $7 million in spousal support, which his ex reportedly donated to charity.
Fighting over children
Child custody battles can be quite stressful, as made evident by pop music icon Madonna’s dispute with the father of her son. Other celebrities have gone through similar, highly contentious custody battles in recent months as well.
How do these issues affect your life?
You may not be a celebrity, but many celebrity divorce issues may apply to your own situation. The examples shared here show that it is critical to understand state laws before heading to court because they may greatly affect property division proceedings. It’s also good to know where to seek support if you want to fight for sole custody of your children.
Finances, child custody, alimony and marital assets are common issues in divorce, whether or not you happen to be famous. The better informed you are ahead of time, the easier it will be to protect your assets and the best interests of your children.
