Country Club Memberships: Yet Another Hassle of High Net Worth Divorce

Your jealous friends might call it a first world problem, but being a member of a country club is a hassle.  Sure, it is nice to have a place to host your daughter’s wedding to take guests to dinner when they visit from out of town, but country club dues are so expensive that you hardly break even unless you use the country club as a venue for a major event or frequently dine in its dining room.  Of course, rich people who complain about how expensive it is to be rich are among the most insufferable social companions, but it is hard not to grumble when purchasing a country club membership was a condition of buying your house.  In the best of circumstances, high net worth divorce is challenging simply because there is so much more marital property to divide, and it often requires substantial effort to determine the value of the marital property.  In the worst of circumstances, the country club becomes akin to a third party in your divorce case.  A Boca Raton divorce lawyer can help you divide country club membership dues and other expenses related to high net worth divorce.

Who Pays Country Club Dues After a Divorce?

When you get divorced, the court divides the assets you own, not the assets you wish you owned.  It also divides the financial obligations you owe, not the obligations that you wish you owe.  Some high net worth divorce cases go to trial because the parties cannot agree about how to divide the responsibility of paying for the children’s private school tuition, overnight summer camps, horseback riding lessons, and other expenses that are beyond the means of most of the population.  The court may order you to relinquish memberships in expensive clubs or sell certain assets if it is clear that the parties cannot afford to pay for them.

When a country club is located within a residential neighborhood, the homeowners’ association bylaws might require all homeowners who live within a certain radius of the club buy memberships and pay dues.  The bylaws may contain provisions about what happens if a club member gets a divorce.  In many cases, both spouses are responsible for paying the country club dues until the divorce becomes final.  Once the divorce is finalized, the spouse who keeps the marital home is usually the one responsible for the country club dues.  Property division arrangements and, if applicable, alimony awards will reflect this financial obligation.  This may require the wealthier spouse to pay temporary alimony, even if there is no alimony award after the divorce becomes final.  A high net worth divorce lawyer can help you and your spouse figure out temporary financial obligations while your divorce is pending.

Contact Schwartz | White About High Net Worth Divorce

A South Florida family law attorney can help you and your spouse equitably divide the expenses associated with your high-net-worth lifestyle.  Contact Schwartz | White in Boca Raton, Florida about your case.

Source:

scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=4716345862903657441&q=divorce+palm+beach&hl=en&as_sdt=4,10&as_ylo=2013&as_yhi=2023