Practice Areas

Palm Beach - Broward County - Complex Property Division

Divorce cases involving family business assets, real estate investments, or complicated executive pension or retirement benefits can present special problems. When there's a lot at stake in resolving the marital property division issues, you need to protect your interests. For the advice of an experienced Fort Lauderdale marital property attorney, contact me, Peggy Cruz-Townsend.

Among the complex business valuation and property division issues I can negotiate and litigate on your behalf are the following:

• Separate or marital property characterization issues
• Identification and location of marital assets, including concealed, undisclosed, or transferred property
• Valuation of retirement or investment accounts
• Valuation of closely held business assets
• Appraisal of vacation or investment real property
• Issues concerning the enforceability of prenuptial agreements or premarital waivers

Forensic accountants, pension administrators, and investment or real estate professionals can help with the proof of disputed values both in negotiations and in Family Court hearings. While a compromise of contested property division issues will always provide greater certainty than a contested motion before the court, my skill with forensic evidence on valuation issues can protect and advance your interests in court whenever necessary.

In cases where the management of family business or investment assets might be manipulated to your disadvantage shortly before or even during the divorce case, I can move the court for injunctive relief to preserve the status quo and prevent the transfer or dissipation of marital property.

Another option in high-profile or high-asset divorce cases is the use of a private judge or other means of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). The main advantage here is the ability to keep your personal and business affairs out of the public record and confidential. Especially when the sale of closely held business assets or investment real estate appears likely during or after the divorce, private judging or ADR can be a powerful tool for protecting the value of the marital estate.

For further information about my ability to provide effective and resourceful client service in divorce cases that present complex property division problems, contact the Law Offices of Peggy Cruz-Townsend, P.A., in Fort Lauderdale.