Bay Area High Asset Divorce Lawyer

High Asset Divorce Attorney In Bay Area

A divorce is potentially one of the most devastating experiences and tumultuous times in your life. You may feel emotionally overwhelmed, unprepared, and alone. You may wonder what will happen to your children, your finances, and whether you will be able to maintain the lifestyle you have grown accustomed to. A Bay Area high-asset divorce lawyer can give you trustworthy guidance to help you successfully manage the end of your marriage.

High-asset divorce cases and laws are complicated and difficult to understand in California. It is important to seek legal help and hire a high-asset divorce lawyer to protect your extensive assets. Working with a Bay Area high-asset divorce attorney can help put you at ease during these staggering circumstances.

Choose Tierney Law Group

The legal team at Tierney Law Group is composed of skilled divorce lawyers who possess the tools necessary to help you move through your high-asset divorce case with confidence.

Deciding upon a Bay Area high-asset divorce attorney can be a difficult task. At our firm, our comprehensive approach to high-asset divorces can help your divorce progress in a timely fashion.

Attorney Kent Tierney has an esteemed background, having graduated from law school with honors. He was selected to the Super Lawyers for 2026 and has decades of experience looking out for his clients’ interests while navigating their high-asset divorce cases.

High-Asset Divorce in California

In general, a marriage with a combined worth of over $1 million is considered a high-asset divorce. To finalize a high-asset divorce, your property portfolio must be valued. Examples of high-value assets include:

• Real estate such as your primary residence, vacation homes, and investment properties
• Investments, 401k, retirement accounts, and cryptocurrencies
• Club memberships
• Luxury goods such as clothing, jewelry, cars, wine, and fine art
• Business interests like professional practices and partnerships

California law requires each party to reveal their assets to prevent dissolution of the community estate before distribution. However, in a high-value divorce, your spouse may have the means to hide assets.

Our high-asset divorce lawyer has experience uncovering where assets may be hidden and can work closely with forensic professionals so that all assets are accurately and legally documented.

The U.S. divorce rate reached a record low in 2024, with approximately 13.3 divorces per 1,000 married persons age 15 and up. California has one of the lowest divorce rates, with 12.4 divorces per 1,000 married women.

Bay Area residents are some of the most highly educated in the U.S., with 49% of the population over the age of 25 holding a bachelor’s degree, which is 16% above the national average.

This educational level typically translates to higher median household incomes, with some in the Bay Area reaching more than $250,000.

Thus, in the Bay Area, you are more than likely to have significant assets that you have worked hard for and that you want to protect for your financial future and to maintain your lifestyle.

In a high-asset divorce, courts consider:

• The standard of living while you were married
• Your earning capacity
• Your age and health
• The length of your marriage
• How child rearing may have affected your careers
• How a return to work will impact your children

An attorney who is familiar with high-asset divorce cases also has an expansive breadth of knowledge for the tax implications and child support issues that may arise, and how these considerations can affect your divorce settlement. Tierney Law Group understands these factors and can guide you to a successful conclusion.

Hire a High-Asset Divorce Lawyer

It is important to educate yourself and to be proactive in your divorce. One seemingly minor error could be catastrophic in your high-asset divorce case. It is crucial to hire a high-asset divorce lawyer to protect you and your family’s future.

We can help you strategize for your financial future, analyze tax implications, and negotiate equitable spousal and child support and fair child custody arrangements. Our goal is to obtain what is fair and keep what you deserve, even if your case proceeds to the Superior Court of San Francisco Family Law Division or another court in the Bay Area.

FAQs

What Assets Cannot Be Split in California?

Assets that cannot be split are considered separate marital property. They include property accrued before marriage and after separation, property garnered during or after marriage, such as inheritance, bequests or gifts, earnings and accumulations post-divorce, student loans owed prior to marriage or after divorce, assets assigned in a pre- or post-nuptial divorce, and more.

How Much of Your Assets Can Your Spouse Take in California?

Your spouse cannot take any of your separate property, but may be entitled to half the marital property. California is known as a community property state. That means that all property, real or personal, gained during a marriage while living in the state is considered community property and will be split 50/50 upon approval by a judge. Property is anything that has value or that you can buy or sell. It includes debts, retirement accounts, and pensions.

When Does Community Property Become Separate Property?

Determining when community property becomes separate can be tricky. It is important to consider when the date of separation occurs. The day you or your spouse moves out or the day you and your spouse agree to and make plans for a divorce is considered the separation date.

Upon separation, assets that would usually be considered community property may no longer be considered shared. California high-asset divorce laws can be ambiguous, highlighting the utmost importance of hiring legal counsel to assist you in understanding this process.

What Is the 10-Year Rule for Divorce in California?

The 10-year rule for divorce in California suggests that a marriage of 10 years or more is considered a long-term marriage for spousal support purposes. The court does not necessarily set a specific end date for termination of spousal support in marriages over 10 years. The court takes into consideration many factors, including how long the spouse needs support and if the other spouse can pay.

Contact Tierney Law Group Today

With over twenty years of experience, our team has extensive experience in family law, including high-asset divorces. Our office in Pleasanton serves clients throughout the Bay Area. Take the important initial step and contact Tierney Law Group now. We are here to help you through your high-asset divorce.