Super Bowl winning NFL quarterback Russell Wilson has filed for divorce from his wife of two years. The couple hopes to dissolve their marriage in private, without media attention. Wilson and his wife had known each other since high school, and they were married in 2012 mere months before Wilson was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson is still under contract with the Seahawks and cannot renegotiate until after the 2014 season.
Though celebrity divorce stories may seem like gossip, they can actually help Arizonans considering divorce appreciate the complexities of a high-asset divorce. When a couple has been together for a long time or one or more of the parties makes a significant income, like in the case mentioned above, the divorce process can be complicated. Property division, for example, may take longer as more assets need to be valued and divided in a fair way than would be in a low-asset divorce. Alimony, too, may be difficult to determine, especially if one spouse forewent a career to support the other spouse and any children. If children exist at the time of the dissolution, then child custody and child support issues may come into play, and a party’s income and assets may play an important role in these determinations.
Divorce legal issues like these can leave a divorcing party feeling overwhelmed. When emotions flare, it can be difficult to determine whether an individual is getting a fair shake in the process. This is where a divorce attorney can be beneficial. An experienced lawyer can walk with a party through the process, advising him or her of his or her legal rights. This way, a divorcing party will be prepared to make fully informed decisions that will protect his or her best interests.
High-asset divorces affect many people, not just celebrities. With a lot to lose, those facing such a dissolution should do everything they can to ensure they start their new life on a strong financial foundation on which they can build their future.
Source: The Seattle Times, “Seahawks’ Russell Wilson, wife divorcing after 2 years,” Bob Condotta, April 23, 2014