Laguna High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer

Are you looking for a high net worth divorce lawyer in Laguna, CA?

At Schank Family Law, we offer confidential consultations with an experienced Laguna high net worth divorce lawyer.

If you have children and a substantial marital estate in Laguna, custody and child support deserve the same careful preparation as the property division. A parenting plan and a support order will shape your children’s daily lives for years after the divorce is final.

Schank Family Law has practiced family law since 2003. Parents on both sides of these disputes rely on our Laguna, CA high net worth divorce lawyer when wealth and children intersect. Request a free case evaluation to discuss your family’s situation.

High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer Laguna, CA

A high net worth divorce attorney handles divorces involving significant assets and income. When children are involved, wealth affects more than the property settlement. It changes how child support is calculated, which expenses are shared, how travel and second homes fit into a parenting schedule, and how much scrutiny each parent’s lifestyle receives. Our role is to keep the children’s needs at the center while protecting each parent’s financial position.

Children under 18 make up 19.5% of Orange County’s population, according to Census QuickFacts. For Laguna families going through a high-asset divorce, the stakes for children are significant, and the parenting plan often matters as much as any financial term.

Types of High Net Worth Divorce Cases We Handle in Laguna

Our attorneys represent mothers and fathers in each of the matters below. Many Laguna, CA cases involve several of them at once.

• Child custody and parenting plans. Parents with demanding careers, multiple homes, or frequent travel need schedules that work in practice. We draft detailed plans covering school weeks, holidays, vacations, and transportation between residences. Clear terms on communication and decision-making reduce the chance of returning to court.
• Child support above typical amounts. High incomes can produce large figures under the statewide child support guideline, which considers income, tax filing, and parenting time. We present evidence about the children’s actual needs, the family’s spending history, and each parent’s income so the order is accurate. We also handle requests for a lower amount when guideline support exceeds what the children need.
• Add-on expenses. Private school tuition, tutoring, travel sports, and summer programs are often allocated separately from base support. We negotiate clear terms for who pays what and how disputes over new expenses are resolved. We also address who pays for extracurricular travel.
• Relocation and move-away requests. A parent may want to move to another state or country with the children. Courts apply a best-interest analysis, and our attorneys prepare the evidence needed to support or oppose move-away orders.
• Division of homes and investments. Primary residences, vacation properties, and investment accounts still need to be valued and divided. We address how the property settlement affects where the children will live, including whether one parent can afford to keep the family home.
• Spousal support alongside child support. The two orders interact, and child support is generally calculated first. We review both together so the combined obligation is realistic and fair, and we account for investment income each parent receives after the division.
• Privacy and public profiles. Parents with business or public visibility often want custody terms that limit media exposure and online posts involving the children. We include those protections in the agreement when appropriate.
• Nannies, childcare, and household staff. Families with full-time childcare must decide how those costs are shared and who manages the caregiver after separation. We include those terms in the parenting plan and support order.
• Modification of custody or support. Changes in income, schedules, or the children’s needs can justify a new order. We represent parents asking for changes and parents opposing them, and we gather updated financial and school records before any hearing.

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

Custody and Support Results for Prominent Families

We have negotiated custody, visitation, and child support in a case involving both MLB and NFL players, where public careers and demanding travel schedules shaped every term. Those negotiations required parenting arrangements that accounted for training, game schedules, and the children’s school year. Our attorneys have also represented business owners earning more than seven figures annually. In spousal support matters, the firm obtained a temporary award of more than $60,000 per month for one client and $22,000 per month for the wife of a prominent trucking company owner. In those cases, the children’s routines had to be weighed alongside substantial and irregular income.

Orange County Family Law Experience

Christian Schank founded the firm in 2003 after earning his J.D. from the University of La Verne College of Law. The firm handles family law exclusively, and Orange County parents can work with the firm through our Santa Ana office. Our firm’s attorneys represent mothers and fathers alike, and the firm has served families for more than 20 years.

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

What Is The High Net Worth Divorce Case Timeline?

Custody and support issues often move faster than property issues. Temporary parenting and support orders are usually addressed early, while property questions can take much longer to resolve.

1. The petition is filed and served, and either parent may ask for temporary custody and support orders.
2. Parents with a custody dispute attend court mediation, and the court may order an evaluation if the dispute continues.
3. Financial disclosures are exchanged, and discovery addresses income and the children’s expenses.
4. Property, support, and parenting terms are negotiated, often in a single settlement.
5. Unresolved issues are tried, and the court enters judgment.

California sets a mandatory waiting period before a divorce becomes final, though temporary custody orders can be made well before that date. Custody evaluations, when ordered, can add several months because the evaluator interviews both parents and the children. Early orders often set patterns that influence the final parenting plan, so preparation for the first hearing matters.

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

Bring documents that describe both your finances and your children’s routines. Notes on the children’s current schedules also help.

• Tax returns, pay records, and business financial statements
• Tuition bills, activity costs, and childcare expenses
• School calendars, the children’s activity schedules, and any existing parenting arrangement
• Brokerage, retirement, and real estate records
• Health insurance and medical expense records for the children
• Any custody orders issued in another state or country

During the consultation, we review your goals for the children, identify the key financial issues, and explain how temporary orders could be requested. If there are immediate concerns about the children’s schedule or school, we discuss those first.

Grounds for Divorce and Property Division in California

California divorce is no-fault, so neither parent’s conduct in the marriage usually affects property division.

• Community property. Assets earned or acquired during the marriage and before separation are generally divided equally.
• Separate property. Premarital assets, gifts, and inheritances remain with the spouse who owns them.
• Legal and physical custody. Legal custody covers major decisions about the children, physical custody covers where they live, and each can be joint or sole.
• Child support. Support is calculated with a statewide formula, and the Judicial Council certifies the guideline support calculators used to run it.

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

Judges decide custody based on the children’s best interest, not on which parent earns more. The factors judges weigh most include each parent’s involvement, the children’s ties to school and community, and the ability to care for them. Financial resources do not substitute for time and involvement, and avoiding common custody mistakes during the case protects a parent’s position.

A parenting plan that works anticipates real life. Holidays at a second home, international travel, and changes in work schedules should be addressed in writing, because vague terms lead to disputes later.

Children experience the divorce differently at each age. Helping your children through the process is part of protecting them, and courts notice which parent keeps the children out of the conflict.

Finally, support terms should account for income that varies. Bonuses, distributions, and investment income need a clear method for calculating support in future years, which reduces the risk of repeated litigation. Clear written formulas let both parents calculate their obligations without returning to court.

Grandparents and extended family often play a large role in high-asset families, and parenting plans can address their time with the children when both parents agree. Parents who present a realistic plan are better positioned when persuading the judge on contested points.

Laguna Family Court and Local Resources

Laguna divorces are handled by the Orange County Superior Court, where family law cases are heard at the Lamoreaux Justice Center in Orange. The court’s Family Court Services department provides confidential custody mediation, child custody investigations, and private interviews that allow older children to share their views with the court. The department also conducts emergency investigations when a child’s safety is at immediate risk.

For a high net worth divorce in Laguna, CA, those services address the parenting plan only. Family Court Services mediation does not cover child support, spousal support, or property, so those issues require separate negotiation or a court decision. Parents who reach agreement in mediation can still have their attorneys review the plan before it becomes an order.

Reach Out to Schank Family Law to Schedule a Consultation

A Laguna high net worth divorce lawyer from our firm can help you build a parenting plan and support order that protect your children’s future. Your first step is a free case evaluation with an intake specialist, who will review your situation and determine whether an attorney consultation is needed. Contact us to begin.