Bezos divorce offers lesson for planners
The complicated nature of the divorce settlement Amazon chief executive, Jeff Bezos, and his wife Mackenzie are nutting out has prompted a Brisbane family law firm to offer guidance on how separating couples can keep a shared business intact for them both.
For planners with clients who were also co-owners of a businesses, suggestions such as entering a Binding Financial Agreement could help ensure both parties retain not just a share of their combined assets but also of any the business’ future growth.
A family law specialist at Hetherington Family Law, Jennifer Hetherington, said that this was the only way to formalise a property settlement in a divorce for splitting couples still wanting to continue operating the business.
She warned however, that reaching that point required working amicably together, saying that the plans for the Bezos divorce personified such an approach.
“It requires the active commitment by both parties to using a process like Collaborative Practice which is revolutionising the way separating couples resolve their issues without stressful fights in court,” Hetherington said.
She said that it enabled those assisting the separating couple to “dig a bit deeper and find out what’s really going on in their thinking” when negotiating, enabling an outcome that could serve both their goals.
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