Protecting complex assets and financial interests for Torrance clients with a rare combination of legal and financial credentials.

A divorce involving significant assets is not the same case as a standard dissolution. Business interests, executive compensation, investment portfolios, real estate holdings, and retirement accounts all raise questions that a general practice attorney rarely has the financial background to answer with precision. Skarin Law Group represents Torrance individuals and couples with substantial wealth, and we bring a combination of credentials to that work that very few California attorneys can match. If you are searching for a high net worth divorce lawyer in Torrance, CA, contact us to schedule a consultation and discuss your financial picture.

What Makes a Divorce “High Net Worth” in California?

A high net worth divorce in California generally involves one or both spouses holding assets and income valued at $1 million or more, though the label matters less than the complexity behind it. What actually defines these cases is the type of property involved and how difficult it is to value and divide.

Common issues include:

• Closely held businesses, partnerships, and professional practices
• Executive compensation, including stock options, RSUs, and deferred bonuses
• Investment and brokerage accounts
• Multiple real estate holdings, including rental and investment property
• Retirement accounts, pensions, and deferred compensation plans
• Separate property claims tied to inheritance, premarital assets, or a business started before marriage

California is a community property state, which means property acquired during the marriage is generally divided equally. Sorting out what counts as community property versus separate property, and assigning an accurate value to each asset, is where these cases become contested. A Torrance high net worth divorce attorney manages that process from the first filing through the final judgment.

Why Skarin Law Group for High Net Worth Divorce in Torrance?

A Rare Combination of Credentials

Matthew Skarin, President of Skarin Law Group, holds three qualifications that, together, are held by no other attorney in California:

• Certified Family Law Specialist, a designation held by fewer than 1,500 attorneys statewide out of more than 170,000 licensed to practice.
• Certified Public Accountant, with direct experience reviewing financial records, tracing assets, and analyzing business valuations.
• California Real Estate Broker, providing additional insight into property valuation and real estate holdings that often make up a significant share of a marital estate.

This combination means your case is not handed off between a family law attorney and an outside accountant working separately. Matthew evaluates the legal and financial sides of your case together, from the earliest stage, which allows issues to surface earlier and be addressed before they become costly.

Financial Insight Applied From Day One

High asset divorce cases require a level of financial scrutiny that standard dissolution proceedings do not. Our background in forensic accounting helps us identify and analyze marital assets, trace separate property claims, and evaluate business income that may not appear straightforward on paper. We work to build a clear, accurate picture of the marital estate early, which gives you a realistic sense of the outcome you’re working toward rather than surprises later in the case.

Fifteen Years of Focused Family Law Practice

Our firm has practiced family law exclusively for fifteen years. Matthew Skarin has been named a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine every year from 2020 through 2024, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. That combination of longevity and recognition matters in complex cases, where opposing counsel and the court both benefit from working with an attorney who has handled similar matters before.

What a High Net Worth Divorce Attorney Handles in Torrance

High asset cases rarely involve just one issue. Our firm handles the full scope of matters that come with a complex marital estate.

• Property division and asset division. We work toward a fair and strategic division of community property, including contested valuations and disputed characterization of separate property.
• Business valuation and ownership disputes. When one or both spouses own a business, partnership, or professional practice, we work with valuation experts to determine an accurate figure and protect the business’s future where possible.
• Executive compensation and equity. Stock options, restricted stock units, deferred bonuses, and other non-cash compensation require careful tracing and valuation, particularly when vesting schedules extend beyond the date of separation.
• Undisclosed asset investigation. We collaborate with forensic accountants when there is reason to believe assets have not been fully disclosed, and we take the steps necessary to confirm an accurate financial picture before any settlement is reached.
• Prenuptial and postnuptial agreement review and enforcement. Many high net worth couples enter marriage with a premarital agreement in place. These agreements are not always ironclad, and we review existing agreements for validity and advocate for enforcement or modification when circumstances warrant it.
• Spousal support. Support in high income cases often involves a more detailed analysis of income, lifestyle during the marriage, and long-term financial needs than a standard case requires.
• Child custody and child support. When children are involved, custody and support are frequently decided alongside the financial issues, and we handle both together.

How Complex Asset Division Works in a California Divorce

Step 1: Full Financial Disclosure

Both spouses are legally required to disclose their income, assets, and debts. In high net worth cases, this step often requires more than the standard disclosure forms, particularly where business records, investment statements, or offshore holdings are involved.

Step 2: Characterization of Property

Every asset is characterized as community property, separate property, or a mix of both. A business started before the marriage but grown significantly during it, for example, may involve both community and separate property components, and apportioning the increase in value accurately is often the most contested part of the case.

Step 3: Valuation

Businesses, real estate, intellectual property, and equity compensation typically require a professional appraisal or valuation. Matthew Skarin’s CPA background allows him to review and challenge valuations with a level of financial literacy that many family law attorneys do not bring to the table.

Step 4: Negotiation or Trial

Many high net worth couples prefer to resolve their case through negotiation or mediation, avoiding the cost, delay, and publicity of a trial. We represent clients through that process, and we are equally prepared to take a case to trial when a fair resolution cannot be reached through negotiation.

Step 5: Judgment and Implementation

Once a settlement or judgment is reached, assets must actually be divided, transferred, and retitled according to the order. We help clients through this implementation phase to make sure the agreed division is carried out correctly.

What to Bring to Your Consultation

A productive first meeting depends on giving us an accurate financial picture from the start. Helpful documents include:

• Recent tax returns, for both personal and any business filings
• Statements for bank, brokerage, and retirement accounts
• Documentation of business ownership interests, including operating agreements or partnership agreements
• Records of executive compensation, including stock option or RSU grant agreements
• Any existing prenuptial or postnuptial agreement
• Property records for real estate holdings

The first consultation is a working conversation. We will review what you bring, explain how California community property law applies to your situation, and outline a realistic path forward.

Frequently Asked Questions About High Net Worth Divorce

What qualifies as a “high net worth” divorce?

There is no fixed legal threshold, but the term generally refers to marriages with combined assets and income of $1 million or more, or cases involving business interests, executive compensation, or real estate holdings that require professional valuation.

How is a business divided in a California divorce?

The business is typically valued by a professional appraiser, and the marital community’s interest in that value is divided as part of the overall property settlement. In some cases, one spouse buys out the other’s interest rather than dividing operational control of the business itself.

Are stock options and RSUs divided in a divorce?

Often, yes, particularly the portion that vested during the marriage. Because vesting schedules can extend well past the date of separation, tracing which portion is community property requires careful analysis.

Will my prenuptial agreement definitely be enforced?

Not automatically. Prenuptial agreements can be challenged on grounds such as lack of full financial disclosure at the time of signing, coercion, or unconscionability. A thorough review of the agreement is an important early step in any high net worth case where one exists.

Do high net worth divorces always go to trial?

No. Many are resolved through negotiation or mediation, which allows both parties more control over the outcome and avoids the cost and publicity of a courtroom trial. We prepare every case as though it could go to trial while working toward a negotiated resolution where possible.

Reach Out to Skarin Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

Protecting what you’ve built takes legal representation that understands both the law and the finances behind your case. Our Torrance high net worth divorce attorneys bring a combination of credentials you won’t find paired together elsewhere in California, and we put that experience to work from your very first consultation. We bill hourly with evergreen retainers, and we will walk you through the fee structure at your first meeting. Contact us to schedule a consultation and speak with a Torrance high net worth divorce lawyer who handles these cases every day.