6 Things You Should Know About Brad’s and Angelina’s Divorce, as Told by A Divorce Lawyer
With Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie divorcing, the couple’s estate comes into question. The couple is rumored to have a combined estate of $400+ million, they have earned over $555 million since they started dating.
During the couple’s two years of marriage, they earned an estimated $117.5 million, with Pitt earning more than half of that.
According to Allison Maxim, the divorce will be less drama-filled than the tabloids suggest.
A Prenuptial Agreement is in Place
The couple did have a prenuptial agreement in place, so they listened to a smart attorney knowing that they both had a fortune going into the marriage. Brad is said to have owned 7 properties, Angelina owned 2, and the couple owned 3 properties together.
Brad and Angelina may choose to:
- Sell their co-owned properties
- Divide their properties
- Buy one another’s rights to the property outright
The Divorce is Likely to End Quickly
The couple’s divorce is likely to end quickly, and the couple has led a very private life. Since the couple doesn’t want all of their information in the public eye, it’s likely that all of the negotiations will end privately.
This is good news for the couple, and bad news for the tabloids.
Child Custody Will Be the Biggest Concern
Both parties are extremely wealthy, and the biggest obstacle that they’ll face moving forward is the custody of the children. Jolie has asked for sole custody of the children, but since both parties can care for their children, the courts will likely order joint custody.
Jolie may fight the joint custody, but if Pitt wasn’t abusive to the children, she’ll likely lose the fight.
Both Parties Are Entitled to a 50/50 Split of Martial Assets
2007 Photo/Chris Natt via wikimedia commons
Pitt and Jolie are both entitled to a 50/50 split of their martial assets. The couple is said to have earned a combined $117.5 million during their marriage. Jolie would be the clear winner, earning nearly half of what Pitt earned during this time.
Jolie may choose to allow Pitt to keep all of his respective earnings, but she does have a right to his half of the earnings, too.
It’s likely that Jolie will get something out of the marriage, but she isn’t likely to get 50% of his assets earned. He may provide a house in return, or there may have been an agreement on the division of martial assets in the prenuptial agreement.
No one besides the couple knows for sure what they have amassed together and the agreement they have in place.
Rumors point to the couple being able to maintain all of their own assets, including money brought into the marriage. Earnings during marriage are said to have been put in a trust for the children.
The Best Lawyers Will Be on the Case
Pitt and Jolie have the resources to hire the best lawyers money can buy, and Jolie has already secured the services of Laura Wasser. Wasser is known as “the” celebrity divorce lawyer, and she is known to be very aggressive on behalf of her clients.
Pitt has enlisted Lance Spiegel as his attorney.
Spiegel is another high-profile lawyer. The couple will try and end the divorce quickly in an effort to ensure that the lawyers don’t take a chunk of the assets for themselves. A long showdown in the courtroom would lead to a costly divorce.
The Kids and Former Couple Will Have Hardships Ahead
All parties in the marriage will suffer from hardships as a result of the divorce. Jolie requested that Pitt only has visitation rights with his kids, and this will be a hard situation to deal with for Pitt.
It’s likely that custody will end in joint custody, but it will still be hard on the kids and the couple.
The secretive couple who is known to travel often will also need to change their upcoming travel plans as a result. It can be very tricky to take kids out of the country during a divorce without the prior consent of the opposing parent. This will mean a lifestyle change for the kids.
Author: Jacob Maslow
