Pasadena High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer

Are you looking for a high net worth divorce attorney in Pasadena, CA?

At Schank Family Law, we provide high net worth divorce representation guided by over 20 years of experience in Pasadena and the surrounding area.

If you are going through a divorce and high-value assets are at stake, our Pasadena, CA high net worth divorce lawyer can help you protect your interests. Our firm has focused on California family law since Christian Schank founded it in 2003. Request a free case evaluation to begin.

High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer Pasadena, CA

A high net worth divorce attorney represents spouses whose marital estate holds significant wealth that is difficult to measure. In Pasadena, that wealth often takes the form of an operating company or a professional practice, where the value depends on future earnings, client relationships, and how much of the income is tied to one owner’s personal work. Our job is to make sure that value is measured accurately and divided according to California law.

More than half of Pasadena residents age 25 and older, 56.1%, hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to U.S. Census figures for 2020 through 2024. Many of the professionals behind that figure earn income through firms, practices, and ventures that become marital assets.

Types of High Net Worth Divorce Cases We Handle in Pasadena

Our attorneys handle the financial and parenting disputes that arise when significant assets are at stake. Most involve a business or professional practice that one spouse built during the marriage.

• Closely held businesses. Family companies and small corporations rarely have a market price, so value must be built from financial statements, tax returns, and comparable sales. We retain qualified valuation professionals and review their assumptions line by line. When the other side’s appraiser relies on optimistic or understated projections, we challenge those figures directly.
• Medical, dental, and professional practices. A practice may carry goodwill that the court treats as a divisible asset, separate from the owner’s own future labor. We separate those two components, because the distinction often moves the largest share of value.
• Partnership and LLC interests. Operating agreements can restrict transfers or set buyout formulas. We examine those terms early and decide whether they bind the valuation or simply inform it. Capital accounts and distribution history also receive close review.
• Owner compensation and support income. A business owner may pay personal expenses through the company or retain earnings instead of drawing a salary. Our attorneys reconstruct actual cash flow so spousal and child support are based on real income. The same analysis protects an owner whose income genuinely declined.
• Equity compensation from employers. Many employers compensate senior staff with stock grants and deferred compensation. We allocate each award between community and separate property based on when it was earned.
• Real estate held inside entities. Rental buildings and commercial property are sometimes titled to an LLC or trust. We trace the funds used to acquire them and determine how the community shares in their value. Loan guarantees signed by one spouse can also shift the analysis.
• Custody and parenting time. Demanding professional schedules affect parenting plans. We propose arrangements that work around those schedules without shortchanging either parent’s time with the children, including on-call duties and frequent business travel.
• Spousal support at higher incomes. When income is substantial, support depends heavily on the marital lifestyle and the supported spouse’s needs. We present that evidence clearly and request temporary support early when it is warranted.

Why Choose Schank Family Law as My High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer in Pasadena, CA?

Experience With Business Owners and High-Income Clients

Our firm has represented business owners earning more than seven figures annually, including clients whose companies operate throughout the United States and abroad in countries such as China and India. In one case, we obtained $22,000 per month in temporary spousal support for the wife of a prominent trucking company owner. Another client received a temporary spousal support award exceeding $60,000 per month. Our attorneys have also negotiated custody, visitation, and child support for MLB and NFL players. Each of these matters required close attention to income that did not follow a standard paycheck. Our property division lawyer applies the same scrutiny to business valuations, buyout terms, and owner compensation.

California Family Law Since 2003

Christian Schank holds a business management degree from the BYU Marriott School, a background that informs how the firm reads financial statements and company records. He started the firm in 2003 and was admitted to the State Bar of California that year. The practice he built now handles family law exclusively, with offices across Northern and Southern California. In 2024, the firm was recognized as the leading San Bernardino family law practice by Quality Business Awards.

What Is Important To Understand About High Net Worth Divorce Cases?

Grounds for Divorce and Property Division in California

No-fault divorce is the rule in California, which means neither spouse must prove wrongdoing. Property division follows California court rules that sort every asset and debt into categories.

• Community property covers what either spouse earned or acquired between the wedding and the date of separation. It is generally divided equally.
• Separate property includes premarital assets and gifts or inheritances, unless a premarital agreement says otherwise.
• Business goodwill built during the marriage can be community property, even if the business started before it.
• Spousal support may be ordered on a temporary basis and again at judgment, and the duration of support often depends on the length of the marriage.

What Is The High Net Worth Divorce Case Timeline?

A divorce involving a business tends to run longer because valuation work cannot be rushed, particularly when the company has several owners.

1. The petition is filed and served, and either spouse may ask for temporary orders.
2. Each spouse completes a sworn Declaration of Disclosure listing assets, debts, and income.
3. Valuation professionals review the business, often while formal discovery continues.
4. The parties negotiate, sometimes through mediation, using the valuation reports.
5. Remaining disputes go to trial, and the court enters a judgment.

California sets a mandatory waiting period before the divorce becomes final, but contested valuations usually push business-owner cases well past that minimum. Interim agreements on support and company operations can keep the business functioning while the case is pending.

What Are Important Aspects of a High Net Worth Divorce Case?

In a divorce involving a business, the owner spouse usually controls the records, the valuation inputs, and the timing of any buyout.

• Who controls the records. The owner spouse typically holds the books, so the other spouse needs a disciplined discovery plan to see the full picture. We identify business valuation disputes before they derail settlement talks.
• Personal versus enterprise goodwill. Courts treat goodwill tied to the business differently from goodwill tied to one person’s skill, and professional goodwill is frequently the most contested number.
• Keeping the business intact. Most owners want to keep the business and buy out the other spouse’s share, which requires a realistic plan for funding that buyout.
• Settlement structure. Payment schedules, offsets, and security terms often need to be creatively drafted to protect both spouses.

What Should You Bring to Your High Net Worth Divorce Consultation?

The more financial history you can share, the more precise our assessment of the business and support issues will be.

• Business and personal tax returns for several recent years
• Profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and general ledgers
• Operating, partnership, or shareholder agreements
• Brokerage, retirement, and bank statements

We will review the documents with you, explain where the strongest valuation and support issues are, and lay out the first steps. Gathering these records also helps with your disclosure obligations later in the case.

Pasadena Family Court and Local Resources

Pasadena divorces are heard in the Northeast District of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, at the Pasadena Courthouse on East Walnut Street. The same building houses the Family Law Facilitator, which assists people with family court procedures but does not represent either spouse, and the Family Court Services office that conducts child custody evaluations for the court.

When a spouse operates under a trade name, the county’s fictitious business name search can confirm who registered the business and when. That information often matters in a high net worth divorce in Pasadena, CA, where ownership dates affect characterization.

Reach Out to Schank Family Law to Schedule a Consultation

A Pasadena high net worth divorce lawyer can help you protect what the marriage built and what you owned before it. Start with a free case evaluation, where an intake specialist reviews your situation and determines whether an attorney consultation is the right next step. Contact us and our intake staff will follow up to schedule a time.