When a business is in the marital estate, the divorce has two jobs: value it fairly and keep it running. We represent owners protecting what they built and spouses ensuring the business's value is honestly counted. Both sides of that work require the same thing, financial fluency.
Valuation is the battlefield
Closely held companies are valued through experts, income, market, and asset approaches, with fights over goodwill, owner compensation, and discounts. We work with forensic accountants and valuation professionals to establish numbers that survive cross-examination.
Keeping the company intact
Courts rarely want to liquidate a functioning business, and neither do we. Buyouts, offsets against other assets, and structured payments preserve operations while delivering an equitable division. Our featured case results include exactly this outcome: full ownership retained, division resolved.
Related Results
Business Owner Divorce
Valuation and division of a closely held company, with detailed review of business records alongside financial professionals. The client retained control of the business while resolving the overall property division.
Questions We Hear First
Is my business marital property in an Ohio divorce?+
A business started or grown during the marriage is at least partly marital, even if titled to one spouse. Premarital businesses can have both separate and marital components, depending on growth and contributions during the marriage.
Will I have to sell my business in a divorce?+
Rarely. Most cases resolve with the operating spouse keeping the company and the other spouse compensated through offsets or structured buyout. The fight is over value, not usually over liquidation.
How is a business valued in divorce?+
By qualified experts using accepted valuation methods, adjusted for issues like personal goodwill and reasonable owner compensation. Competing valuations are common; credibility of the analysis decides.