Trying to come to an amicable agreement during a divorce is never easy for either party under any circumstances. But in a high asset divorce in California, it can be particularly stressful and unnerving, especially when the settlement is worth well into the millions. Even with a pre-nuptial agreement, both parties will still have certain demands.
The initial filling was in September 2009 when Alicia Stephenson, wife of Cancer Treatment Centers of America founder Richard Stephenson, filed for divorce. The couple had been separated since 2007. Each side contends the other stretched the case out much longer than it needed to be.
Alicia Stephenson had originally requested $400,000 per month in her original filing and she had been collecting $68,500 per month in a temporary alimony agreement. The final order, after taxes, will be $27,500 each month. Additional personal property, such as a car, motorcycles and her 401(k), were also included in the settlement. She will also receive a lump-sum buy out of $6.52 million dollars for her interests in businesses she co-owns with her former husband.
When one is faced with the difficult decision to end a marriage in California, especially in a high asset divorce, it can be mentally, emotionally and financially taxing. The process, as with this couple, can take years when the two cannot agree and may eventually need to be settled by the courts. It would be in one’s best interest to secure skilled and knowledgeable representation of an attorney who will prepare and present the case and determine the best course of action to ensure the financial outcome is beneficial to his or her client.
Source: dailyherald.com, “Cancer Center founder’s wife gets $6.5M, $27,500 a month in divorce”, Harry Hitzeman, Sept. 13, 2017
