If you and your spouse built significant wealth during your marriage, dividing it won’t be as simple as splitting bank accounts down the middle. California says community property gets divided equally. But equal division of a $6 million estate looks nothing like equal division of a $200,000 estate.
Our San Bernardino, CA high net worth divorce lawyer handles the complexity that comes with substantial assets. Schank Family Law has represented business owners, executives, physicians, and professionals across the Inland Empire since 2003. We work with forensic accountants, business appraisers, and financial experts to ensure accurate valuation and proper division.
Christian L. Schank started this firm to handle family law and nothing else. He got his law degree from the University of La Verne College of Law after finishing at Brigham Young University for undergrad. Martindale-Hubbell gave him an AV Rating back in 2000. He holds Lead Counsel Verified status for family law.
High-asset divorces involve financial analysis that simpler cases don’t require. Determining what a closely held business is worth means examining revenue trends, customer concentration, owner dependency, and market comparables. Stock compensation comes in different flavors with different tax treatment. Real estate portfolios need individual appraisals accounting for rental income, deferred maintenance, and local market conditions.
We’ve handled these situations repeatedly over two decades. When one spouse tries to hide assets through business structures or offshore accounts, we investigate. When valuations come in suspiciously low, we challenge them. When the other side’s forensic accountant makes questionable assumptions, we expose the problems.
Our attorneys have secured substantial support awards, including a $22,000 monthly temporary order. We’ve pursued enforcement resulting in 95 contempt counts against a spouse who wouldn’t comply with court orders. Wealth doesn’t protect people from accountability.
Our family lawyer in San Bernardino, CA handles high-asset matters as a significant portion of our caseload.
We work with credentialed professionals who can value businesses, trace commingled assets, analyze tax implications, and testify credibly if cases go to trial. These experts cost money. In high-asset cases, what you spend on proper analysis typically saves multiples in avoided losses from bad valuations or missed assets.
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“After working with Christian and his team I could not ask for a better experience. Communication was second to none, Miykael was sure to let me know what was going on every step of the way, she was a great help. For anyone looking for a Family Law Attorney I highly recommend Schank Family Law.” — Glenn Artoilles
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Substantial wealth creates issues that don’t arise when a couple’s main assets are a house and two cars.
Wealthy couples follow the same basic rules as everyone else. The complexity comes from applying those rules to complicated situations.
Family Code Section 2550 requires equal division of community property. Assets acquired during marriage belong to both spouses equally regardless of whose name appears on title or who earned the money.
For a couple with a $500,000 house and some retirement accounts, equal division is relatively mechanical. For a couple with a $4 million business, $2 million in real estate, $1.5 million in brokerage accounts, and complex stock compensation, equal division requires sophisticated analysis of what everything is worth and how to structure the split.
What you brought into the marriage remains yours. Inheritances directed to one spouse stay separate. Gifts from third parties to one spouse alone keep their character.
But wealthy couples often commingle assets in ways that complicate tracing. Family Code Section 2640 allows reimbursement for separate property contributions to community assets. Tracing these contributions through years of transactions requires forensic analysis.
Family Code Section 2100 requires complete disclosure of all assets and liabilities. For high-asset couples, this means detailed schedules of every account, property, business interest, and stock grant.
Hiding assets violates this duty. Courts can award the innocent spouse anywhere from 50% to 100% of concealed assets plus attorney fees spent uncovering them. The penalties for non-disclosure often exceed what the hiding spouse hoped to gain.
Family Code Section 1100 imposes fiduciary obligations between spouses regarding community property. This duty continues through separation and divorce. Neither spouse can waste, hide, or transfer community assets without the other’s knowledge.
Violations create remedies. A spouse who dissipates community funds on an affair, gambling, or frivolous purchases may owe reimbursement. The California Courts website explains disclosure requirements applicable to all divorces.
When a spouse owns a business, determining its value often becomes the central fight. A business appraised at $2 million versus $4 million means a $1 million swing in what the non-owner spouse receives.
Appraisers use different methodologies producing different results. Income approaches capitalize projected earnings. Market approaches compare to similar businesses that sold recently. Asset approaches add up what the company owns. Each method has appropriate applications and limitations.
Goodwill creates additional disputes. Enterprise goodwill attaches to the business itself and counts as community property. Personal goodwill reflects the owner’s individual reputation and relationships. California excludes personal goodwill from division. For professional practices and owner-dependent businesses, drawing this line can shift valuations by millions.
We work with valuation experts who understand these distinctions and can defend their conclusions under cross-examination.
RSUs vest over time. Grants awarded before marriage with vesting continuing after contain both separate and community portions. The allocation formula matters, and different courts have applied different approaches.
Options add layers. Exercise timing affects both value and taxation. Underwater options have no current value but retain speculative worth. ISOs and NSOs have different tax consequences affecting real value.
ESPP shares get purchased at discounts through payroll deductions over time. Tracing which purchase lots occurred during marriage requires going through years of statements.
Getting these calculations wrong costs money. We’ve seen opposing counsel miss entire grants or misallocate vesting schedules. The details matter.
Two dates affect high-asset division significantly.
The date of marriage determines when community property accumulation began. Assets acquired after this date presumptively belong to both spouses.
The date of separation determines when accumulation stopped. Earnings after separation belong to the earner alone. For high earners, the separation date can shift division by substantial amounts.
California defines separation as a complete break demonstrated by expressed intent and consistent conduct. Disputes over separation dates arise frequently. Email exchanges, text messages, social media posts, and credit card records often provide evidence supporting or refuting claimed dates.
Court filings become public record. Financial declarations detailing every asset and every account sit in courthouse files accessible to anyone who asks.
Some high-asset clients care deeply about privacy. Settling cases rather than litigating them publicly becomes a priority. Confidential settlement agreements can restrict disclosure in ways court judgments cannot.
We help clients weigh privacy concerns against litigation advantages. Sometimes fighting in court makes sense despite the exposure. In other situations, reaching settlement protects interests beyond the financial.
Child support follows guidelines, but those guidelines have limits. Above certain income thresholds, courts exercise discretion about additional support based on children’s reasonable needs.
Spousal support in high-income cases focuses heavily on marital standard of living. A couple spending $50,000 monthly establishes expectations that justify substantial ongoing support. Evidence documenting lifestyle becomes critical.
Family Code Section 2100 requires disclosure, but some people ignore requirements.
We investigate when things don’t add up. Examples are:
Forensic accountants trace funds through accounts, identify discrepancies, and uncover what someone tried to hide.
Prenuptial or postnuptial agreements can alter default community property rules. Maybe certain assets were designated as separate property regardless of when acquired. Maybe support was waived or limited.
These agreements must meet specific requirements to be enforceable. Both parties needed independent counsel or explicitly waived it. Neither party can have been under duress. The agreement cannot be unconscionable. We analyze existing agreements for enforceability and either defend them or attack them depending on which side we represent.
Division and support interact. Taking more property now might mean accepting less support over time. Keeping the business might mean paying larger support obligations. Giving up stock might mean receiving support that provides liquidity you need.
Understanding how these pieces fit together helps clients make decisions that serve their overall interests rather than winning one battle while losing the war.
High-asset divorces sometimes generate issues years after final judgment.
Hidden assets surface later. Custody arrangements need modification as children grow. Support orders require adjustment when circumstances change. We handle post-judgment matters including modification, enforcement, and reopening cases when fraud is discovered.
Proper financial preparation before filing helps avoid these problems by documenting assets thoroughly from the start.
Complex divorce cases in San Bernardino County proceed through the family court system like any other divorce. The difference lies in the volume of financial disclosure, the expert witnesses involved, and the sophistication of arguments.
Cases may be heard at the main courthouse in San Bernardino or at satellite locations in Victorville, Rancho Cucamonga, or elsewhere depending on where you live. Settlement conferences and mandatory mediation for custody issues apply regardless of asset level.
Most high-asset cases settle because both sides can project roughly where a judge would land. When settlement fails, we’re prepared for trial.
If you’re facing divorce with substantial assets in San Bernardino County, the financial stakes justify careful attention to valuation, characterization, and division strategy. Millions of dollars can turn on getting these issues right.
Schank Family Law offers free case evaluations. We’ll review your situation, explain what complexities your assets present, and discuss how to approach your case. Family law is our only practice area. Contact us to schedule a conversation.
Attorney Christian L. Schank founded Schank Family Law in 2003. With eight offices and a Certified Family Law Specialist on staff, the firm handles divorce, custody, support, and property matters in courts across the state.
Last Updated: September 23, 2026 
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