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Farmington Hills Lawyer For Complex Asset Division: Protecting Your Business, Assets And Investments

Last updated on October 14, 2025

Division of marital property and debt has been the focus of many noteworthy court cases. A knowledgeable divorce attorney must stay up to date on precedent-setting cases as well as know relevant statutes inside-out to be prepared to represent clients well.

At Brown Borkowski & Morrow, our Farmington Hills divorce attorneys have decades of experience. With so much at stake, you can feel secure in knowing that our attorneys are extremely knowledgeable in high-asset divorce cases. We are prepared to fiercely negotiate or litigate on your behalf.

Discuss your high-asset divorce case with one of our skilled lawyers in a free initial consultation. You will find our firm to be extremely responsive as we return calls within 24 hours. Contact us online today.

What Makes A Divorce “Complex”?

In divorce cases involving significant assets, it is critical that only the most experienced divorce attorneys handle such matters. This is due to the type of issues that are typically present in these situations. Complex assets such as businesses must be valued properly, hidden assets require forensic accounting, and vocational experts may be consulted to determine the appropriate level of support for a traditional stay-at-home spouse.

The complexity of a divorce often comes down to what you own together. When certain types of assets are part of your marriage, dividing your properties fairly requires special attention and knowledge. Here are key assets that might make the dissolution of your marriage much more complicated:

Business interests: Businesses require proper valuation methods, consideration of goodwill and decisions about whether to sell, co-own or transfer ownership.
Real estate properties: Multiple properties across different locations may involve varying market values and potential tax implications upon sale or transfer.
Retirement funds and pensions: These accounts often represent your largest marital assets and require special court orders to divide them without tax penalties.
Investment accounts: Stocks, bonds and other investments need proper valuation. You also need proper strategies to avoid triggering unnecessary tax events.
Family trusts or inheritances: We track how these assets were handled during your marriage to determine if they count as shared property under Michigan law.
Valuable personal property: Collections of art, jewelry or antiques often need professional appraisals so we can divide them fairly or offset their value with other assets.
Debt: Mortgages, business loans, and credit card debt must be fairly distributed while protecting your and your spouse’s financial future.

If your divorce involves any of these complex assets, you need a family law attorney who works tirelessly to find practical solutions for even the most complicated situations.

Our Strategic Approach To Complex Asset Division

We believe in preparing for every case as if it is going to trial. While not every case is trial-bound, we are always very thorough in preparing each client’s case. Detailed discovery and preparation are key, particularly in complex high-asset divorce cases. This may include forensic accounting to detect hidden assets or properly valuing all types of assets that are subject to distribution.

Such assets may include:

Businesses
Inheritance
Retirement funds
Pensions
Investments
Offshore accounts
Multiple real estate properties
Automobiles
Fine jewelry
Artwork

Many high-asset cases involve traditional marriages in which one spouse played a traditional stay-at-home role that minimized workplace participation. In such cases, it is important to enlist a vocational expert to develop an estimate of what is necessary in order to resolve how much support the person may need.

Dividing A Business In Divorce

In the case of business property or parties with extensive assets, valuations can be complicated. Financial experts may need to be hired to provide credible information on the value of the assets. Tax attorneys, CPAs and economists may come into the property division picture.

The actual division process may use several approaches, including:

Buy-out arrangement: One spouse runs the business and buys the other spouse’s share. This can happen through one large payment or smaller payments spread out over several months or years.
Co-ownership: Both spouses continue to own the business together after divorce. This option may work in specific situations with clear agreements.
Selling the business: The couple sells the entire business and splits the money based on their divorce agreement.
Offset with other assets: The spouse who runs the business keeps the company. The other spouse receives different marital property worth the same amount, such as the family home or retirement accounts.

Tax issues play a major role when dividing a business during divorce. Different division methods trigger various tax consequences that can significantly impact both parties’ financial futures. Our attorneys help both business owners and non-owner spouses in Michigan understand these complex issues.

Discovering And Valuing Hidden Assets

During divorce proceedings, some spouses attempt to conceal assets to avoid fair division. This is where forensic accounting becomes crucial. Hidden assets often lurk in business accounts where money gets disguised as fake expenses or delayed income. Some individuals transfer funds to offshore accounts or temporarily give assets to friends and family until after the divorce. We work with skilled financial professionals who understand how to locate these hidden assets to protect your right to a fair division.

Separate Property Versus Marital Property

Generally, what you owned before the marriage is considered separate property unless you commingled it with marital assets. Separate property may be awarded if the other spouse contributed to it or if the invasion of separate assets is necessary for the support of the other party. Gifts that each spouse received during the marriage, including inheritances, may be considered separate property if they were not commingled or otherwise shared. Your attorney will help you analyze the marital estate to determine the best course of action.

A second step to take in the area of property division is to determine which assets are included in the marital estate. Spouses may have kept some property owned before the marriage, such as inheritances or business revenue, as separate property, or they may have combined assets to the point that what was once nonmarital property has become marital property that must be accounted for in the division of marital property.

Division Of Retirement Accounts, Pensions, & Investments In Divorce

Pensions, IRAs, 401(k)s and other retirement accounts are divisible upon divorce. The division of these assets, however, requires the execution of very specific documents called Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs). These documents must be specially drafted to ensure accurate division and distribution of these assets, as well as acceptance (also known as qualification) by the Plan Administrator. If these documents are not drafted correctly, the consequences can be significant and may affect your own retirement plans. Brown Borkowski & Morrow works closely with an expert to ensure that these documents are properly drafted and entered.

Prenuptial And Postnuptial Agreements

One of the first steps that a family law attorney will take when beginning the process of divorce for a client is to evaluate any existing prenuptial or postnuptial agreements. Is the agreement valid? Is there any indication that the agreement was signed under pressure or duress?

Michigan courts generally uphold prenuptial and postnuptial agreements when they meet specific legal requirements and contain fair terms. For business owners and real estate investors, these agreements often contain critical provisions that protect business interests and separate property from marital assets. We help clients understand how these agreements affect their specific situation while identifying any potential grounds for challenging unfair or outdated provisions.

How Debt Is Divided In High Asset Divorce

Debts should be accounted for in a property settlement agreement; however, creditors have the right to go after either spouse even after the divorce decree is issued. Holding an ex-spouse accountable will then become a matter of enforcing the divorce judgment.

Creditors will pursue the person whose name is on the loan. Brown Borkowski & Morrow works to ensure the protection of your credit even after the judgment is entered by providing for creative enforcement remedies in the judgment.

Michigan courts divide marital debt using the same equitable distribution principles applied to assets, which is fairly but not always equally. Business loans typically follow the business itself, with the spouse retaining the business, generally assuming associated debts. Investment-related debts like margin accounts or loans taken for investment properties demand a thorough evaluation of the underlying assets and their current value. Tax liabilities, particularly those related to business operations or investment activities, often create significant complications that your legal team will address through strategic planning.

Dividing Multiple Real Estate Properties

When divorcing couples own multiple properties, we first obtain current market valuations from licensed appraisers who consider location, condition, improvements, and comparable sales to determine each property’s fair market value. These professional assessments provide the foundation for fair division and help prevent future disputes about property worth.

Brown Borkowski & Morrow Is Here To Help With Complex Divorces

Since 1972, Brown Borkowski & Morrow has been providing practical, workable legal solutions to residents of Michigan in a variety of legal practice areas. Our attorneys for complex assets are knowledgeable, experienced and insightful. We are here to help you achieve your goal of equitable distribution of assets, including retirement benefits requiring QDROs (Qualified Domestic Relations Orders). Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation with our divorce lawyer at 888-757-1681 or send us an email.