Parties engaged in a family law dispute are required to value their assets and liabilities at the marriage and separation dates in order to calculate each spouse’s Net Family Property.  Family law disputes also frequently require an assessment of a spouse’s income for support purposes pursuant to the Child Support Guidelines.

For business owners and high net worth individuals, calculating Net Family Property and income for support purposes typically requires an understanding, and valuation of, corporate and trust interests and other, less common financial asset classes such as private equity or cryptocurrencies.  Family law disputes may include allegations of hidden assets or undeclared income, which need to be investigated and resolved.  Where a spouse’s net worth arises from inter-generational transfers of wealth, the identification and tracing of gifts and inheritances during the marriage to assets held at the separation date can also have a significant impact on the value of Net Family Property.

CHS has extensive experience in providing valuation and forensic services for business owners and high net worth individuals engaged in a family law dispute.  We can assist at all stages of the process, from preparing initial financial disclosure requests, to completing independent valuation and expert reports, through to assisting with settlement structuring, attending mediation, or testifying at trial.  Our cases regularly involve clients with interests in complex corporate structures and trust holdings, which often need to be valued at multiple dates.  We are well-versed in calculating income for support purposes, particularly where corporate attribution, imputed income, non-recurring income, or potential “double-dip” income is a factor.  We also have experience reviewing financial records to identify and quantify the impact of unusual and/or unreported transactions.