High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer Nassau County

A divorce involving substantial assets raises valuation, disclosure, and support questions that a simpler case may not present. Nassau County couples with a closely held business, multiple real estate holdings, deferred compensation, or significant investment accounts often find that the equitable distribution and maintenance phases of the case require more detailed financial groundwork than a standard filing. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. represents clients in these Nassau County matters, working through asset valuation, mandatory financial disclosure, and how New York’s maintenance guidelines apply once income rises above the statutory base used in the formula. Because high-value assets are harder to value and because the maintenance formula treats income above a certain level differently than income below it, the financial picture in a high net worth case often takes longer to develop than in a more straightforward divorce. Call (888) 437-7747 to request a scheduled consultation about a Nassau County matter involving significant assets.

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Valuing High-value Assets Under DRL § 236(B)(5)(d)

New York’s equitable distribution statute, DRL § 236(B)(5), directs the court to consider factors that become especially significant when a marital estate includes high-value assets. These include the difficulty of valuing certain assets or business interests, the liquid or non-liquid character of the property, the tax consequences to each party, and the loss of inheritance rights, pension rights, and health insurance benefits that can result from the divorce. A closely held business, a professional practice, restricted stock, or a deferred compensation plan often cannot be valued with the same certainty as a bank account or a publicly traded security, and disagreement over valuation methodology is common in higher-asset cases. The statute does not specify a single valuation method, which means the parties and the court must work through competing approaches to reach a figure the court can rely on.

Financial Disclosure and the Net Worth Statement Under DRL § 236(B)(4)

DRL § 236(B)(4) requires each party to a divorce to complete a sworn financial disclosure, generally referred to as a net worth statement, setting out income, assets, liabilities, and expenses. In a high net worth case, this disclosure obligation becomes a central part of the litigation, since an incomplete or inaccurate net worth statement can affect both the equitable distribution analysis and any maintenance determination. The firm does not guarantee that any particular valuation or disclosure dispute will be resolved in a client’s favor, since these issues depend on the specific financial records and professional input involved in each case.

Maintenance Guidelines and the Statutory Income Cap

New York calculates maintenance using guideline formulas set out in DRL § 236(B)(6) and § 236(B)(5-a), which apply to income up to a statutory base. That base was enacted at $184,000 in 2015 and adjusts biennially by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), as published by the Office of Court Administration. For income above that adjusted base, additional maintenance is not calculated by the guideline formula; instead, the court has discretion to award additional maintenance based on a separate set of statutory factors. In a high net worth case, where one or both spouses often have income well above the statutory base, this discretionary analysis, rather than the formula itself, frequently becomes the focus of the maintenance dispute. The firm does not guarantee any particular maintenance award, since the amount, if any, above the statutory base depends on the factors the court applies to the specific facts of the case.

About Mr. Sris and the Firm’s Of Counsel Attorneys

Mr. Sris, Owner and Founder of the firm, is a former prosecutor who has practiced law since founding the firm in 1997. He attended George Mason University, where he developed a background in accounting and information systems, which he applies directly to the valuation and disclosure issues that arise in high net worth divorce matters. Mr. Sris is admitted to practice in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York.

The firm’s Of Counsel attorneys contract directly with the firm and work alongside Mr. Sris on high net worth divorce matters filed in the New York State trial courts in Nassau County. They are referred to collectively here because case assignments are based on the needs of each matter. The firm does not maintain a physical location in Nassau County and does not offer free consultations; clients request a scheduled consultation, and the intake line is staffed 24/7 to take that request. The firm’s principal office is located at 4008 Williamsburg Court, Fairfax, VA 22032, by appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a divorce a “high net worth” case?

There is no single dollar threshold; the term generally describes a divorce involving assets that are more difficult to value or divide, such as a closely held business, multiple properties, deferred compensation, or substantial investment accounts, which can make the equitable distribution and maintenance phases more involved.

How does the court value a business or professional practice in a divorce?

DRL § 236(B)(5) directs the court to consider the difficulty of valuing certain assets or business interests as part of the equitable distribution analysis, but the statute does not mandate a single valuation method, so the parties often present competing valuation positions.

What is a net worth statement and why does it matter?

A net worth statement is the sworn financial disclosure required under DRL § 236(B)(4), setting out each spouse’s income, assets, liabilities, and expenses. It forms much of the factual foundation for both the equitable distribution and maintenance analysis in the case.

Is there a cap on income used to calculate maintenance in New York?

Yes. The guideline maintenance formulas under DRL § 236(B)(6) and § 236(B)(5-a) apply to income up to a statutory base, enacted at $184,000 in 2015 and adjusted biennially by the CPI-U as published by the Office of Court Administration.

What happens to income above the statutory maintenance cap?

Additional maintenance on income above the statutory base is not set by the guideline formula. Instead, the court has discretion to award additional maintenance based on a separate set of statutory factors, applied to the specific facts of the case.

Do both spouses have to disclose their finances in detail?

The net worth statement required under DRL § 236(B)(4) calls for a sworn disclosure of income, assets, liabilities, and expenses, and the scope of what must be disclosed is generally addressed through that filing and any related discovery in the case.

Does Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. guarantee a particular valuation or maintenance result?

No. The firm does not guarantee any particular outcome. Valuation and maintenance results in a high net worth case depend on the specific financial record, professional input, and how the court applies the statutory factors.

This page provides general information and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Case results depend on a variety of factors unique to each case. Results may vary.

Attorney Advertising. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., principal office: 4008 Williamsburg Court, Fairfax, VA 22032. By appointment. Call (888) 437-7747 to schedule.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

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