The industries that Californians work in are incredibly varied. While some people make their livings working in offices and firms, others work with the land and spend their days outdoors. Yet others hold high profile professions in the entertainment and sports worlds that open their lives to the scrutiny of the public.
When individuals in those latter industries find themselves facing divorce, they sometimes have to endure their separations in front of the public eye. They must deal with the speculation of strangers on the causes of their marital failings. They also have to accept that certain information about their financial health and marital property might become open knowledge.
Money can be a dividing force in high profile couples, as can discrepancies of power, fame, social influences and professional expectations. A recent article in Forbes notes that while in many cases issues of domestic violence between celebrity couples make the news, celebrity divorces are much bigger problem for the rich and famous. For example, famous athletes experience divorce at a rate around 10 to 30 percent higher than that of Americans with moderate wealth.
High income divorces are therefore a reality for many who work in front of cameras. They are also a reality for men and women who toil in high pressure, high paying careers that do not get the same media coverage as actors and sports stars. To name a few, medical professionals, lawyers, tech company officials and investment managers are other careers that can create major private stresses on relationships and marriages.
The details of completing a high income divorce are similar to those of a divorce between individuals of average wealth. However, the intricacies of managing the division of property, child and spousal support calculations and visitation schemes can be muddied by the standards of living experienced by those of increased affluence. Wealthy non-celebrities may not have to watch their relationships unfold for the public to see, but they do encounter many of the same legal issues as the famous do when their marriages end in divorce.
Source: Forbes, “Divorce, Not Domestic Violence, Is Biggest Issue At Home For Professional Athletes,” David Lariviere, Aug. 15, 2014
Source: Forbes, “Divorce, Not Domestic Violence, Is Biggest Issue At Home For Professional Athletes,” David Lariviere, Aug. 15, 2014
