Celebrity divorces sure do make interesting headlines. You’ve probably heard about many celebrity couples who’ve tied the knot or ended their relationships throughout your lifetime.
But what most people fail to realize is just how much work goes on behind-the-scenes during a divorce involving celebrities.
When we hear about Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez’s divorce or Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel’s impending separation, we don’t see the private lives they’re living now that their relationship status has changed.
Let’s take a peek behind the curtain.
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Why Are Celebrity Divorces Different?
Take a moment to think about all of the divorces you’ve heard about in recent years.
When Joe Schmo gets divorced, he and his spouse likely discuss who gets the house and who gets custody over the children.
When a celebrity gets divorced, they discuss who gets billions of dollars.
Plus, according to US Census data, the divorce rate among celebrities is 52%. To put that into perspective, the divorce rate among all other citizens is just 23%.
Divorce is so common among celebrities that the average marriage only lasts 6 years.
There are many reasons as to why so many celebrities divorce. As you can imagine, living life in the spotlight is difficult. This is why celebrities often seek out specialized divorce lawyers in Arkansas and across the country who understand the complexities of high-net-worth separations.
Maintaining a Hollywood career is hard enough, but raising a family under a microscope is next to impossible for most.
Financial Agreements
Here’s a fun fact:
Despite the high-risk divorce rate among celebrities, around 15% of couples actually write a prenuptial agreement before getting married.
While we’ve seen this number increase (just 3% in 2010), 15% is still pretty low when you consider how many couples end up divorcing down the line.
If you’re a celebrity who doesn’t sign a prenuptial agreement before walking down the aisle, you could be setting yourself up for divorce casualties.
For celebrity couples, assets and liabilities can reach absurd numbers.
We’re talking about:
- Real estate worth tens of millions of dollars
- Investment portfolios containing stock options
- Royalties from music, movies, etc.
- Business ownership rights
- Collections of rare art
If there’s no prenup in place, these items will be divided according to state guidelines in the event that a divorce does occur. In community property states like California, this can mean splitting everything 50/50.
Recent estimates suggest that Bill Gates’s divorce will cost him hundreds of millions of dollars. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos’s divorce granted his wife MacKenzie Scott 25% of all Amazon shares.
These are astronomical figures.
Privacy Issues
Another thing that sets celebrity divorces apart from traditional divorce cases is privacy.
Let’s say you and your spouse decide to part ways. You file your divorce paperwork, and once the judge grants your divorce, it instantly becomes public record.
Anyone can access your divorce records. Including reporters and other members of the media.
When a celebrity files for divorce, every piece of information they provide to the court can quickly become national news.
That’s why more celebrities are writing confidentiality clauses into their divorce agreements. This prevents both parties from discussing details of their marriage (or divorce) with anyone else.
In practice, this can look like:
- Requesting to have court records sealed from the public
- Agreeing to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with your spouse
- Timing your divorce filings to avoid press attention
- Crafting a joint statement to minimize rumors
The idea is to maintain as much privacy as possible. In the world of celebrities, reputation is key.
Celebrity Custody Battles
It’s always difficult when children are involved in a divorce.
Imagine having to co-parent your kids with your ex-spouse while you’re filming your next movie across the country.
Or constantly wondering if your children are being protected from fans and paparazzi.
Children of celebrities have to grow up with their parents’ careers in mind.
Divorce cases involving children become even more complicated.
Splitting parenting time between Justin and Hailey Bieber isn’t as simple as alternating weeks.
What happens if Justin has to travel for work? Does Hailey get full custody until he returns?
There are many things to consider when celebrities fight for child custody.
How Much Does the Average Divorce Cost?
The divorce process costs the average American somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000.
But for celebrities and high-net-worth individuals, cost can range well into the millions.
Why?
Celebrities have more assets. And the more assets you and your spouse have, the more expensive it becomes to split everything evenly.
You may need a forensic accountant to trace suspected hidden assets. Business valuators may need to be brought in to assess the true worth of your companies. Not to mention high-quality attorneys who can charge upwards of $500 an hour.
When billions of dollars are on the line, spending millions on legal fees doesn’t seem so bad. It’s an investment that could save you in the long run.
Divorce Lessons We Can Learn From Celebrities
Just because you and your spouse aren’t famous doesn’t mean you can’t learn a thing or two from divorcing celebrities.
Here are a few:
- Hire a divorce attorney. Even if you and your spouse agree on everything, it’s still important to have a legal professional on your side to protect your interests.
- Don’t shy away from a prenup. Again, prenups aren’t about forecasting the future. It’s about protecting yourself just in case things don’t work out.
- Keep records of your finances. Documentation is important during divorce proceedings. If you’re the primary breadwinner, keep records of how you spend your money. If you’re a stay at home parent, gather records that prove your spouse is able to support the children.
- Children should always be your priority. Whether you’re Nicolas Cage fighting for custody of your sons or a father fighting for custody of your daughters, always consider what’s best for the children when fighting for custody.
- Divorce is ugly. Period. No matter how small or large your estate may be, divorce tends to bring out the worst in people. The best thing you can do is manage the narrative. Maintain integrity, and don’t forget to smile through the process.
Final Thoughts
We watch celebrity divorces play out like they’re a television show.
Complete with plot twists and all of the drama.
But what we don’t see are the lives these celebrities are living while their divorce is being finalized.
Outside of high divorce rates and divorces costing millions of dollars, there’s a lot that goes on behind-the-scenes that most people don’t see.
The moral of the story?
Divorce is hard. And when celebrities are involved, it becomes that much more difficult.
Just because someone else can afford to spend millions of dollars on divorce lawyers doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek out the best legal help possible.
Everyone deserves a fair chance at splitting their assets.