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Bucs get the W… but who gets those season tickets in a divorce?

It’s football season! Week 1 against the Falcons had Tampa Bay Buccaneers smiling. Whether or not you are on board with Jameis Winston, there is no denying that he had a good first showing. Not only did he throw passes that connected with eight of his teammates, four of those ended in touchdowns. The final score was 31-24, in favor of the Bucs.

Your team has one more game on the road before home season opener in Week 3, and you are excited. Your seats are closer to the 50-yard line than ever. You have everything planned, from tailgate fare to your lucky jersey… then a thought crosses your mind.

What happens to my season tickets in a divorce?

You and your wife always loved going to the games together, but things have been a little rough at home during the off-season. You might be in the middle of a trial separation or floated the idea of divorce, but you haven’t thought about what that might mean for your season tickets.

Season tickets are considered property, but it is marital?

Under Florida divorce law, any property acquired during the marriage is considered marital property and subject to equitable division. The first step is to determine whether your tickets are separate or marital property.

Ask yourself: did you purchased the tickets during the marriage?

  • Yes: If your answer is yes, then they are considered martial property and are subject to division.
  • No: If they are family heirlooms, were given to you as a gift (by someone other than your spouse) or you purchased them before the marriage, there could be an argument to be made for separate property – but it’ll depend on the circumstances.

Let us assume that they are marital property. What next? You have to decide how to divide them. Again, you have options:

  • Share the seats: Most people have an even number of tickets. Mathematically, giving each spouse half of the tickets would make sense. Practically, few people would want to continue going to games with their ex.
  • Share the tickets: You could always split the games. She gets half of the home games. You get the other. This might create a different set of problems. The first is that it creates the need for an ongoing relationship you might not want – namely, coordinating who gets which game every season – or you just don’t want to miss any games.
  • Split the value: There is a third option. Remember, property is divided equitably not evenly. You can keep the tickets as long as your spouse is compensated for their value with other property.

One of the best things you can do, prior to filing for divorce or beginning any property negotiations, is to stop and think about what you own. List your assets in terms of their “priority” and gather documentation necessary to make value determinations.

Hiding assets before divorce: a mistake that could cost you

If you are affluent and getting divorced, money is undoubtedly a primary concern for you during this tumultuous time. You probably recognize that your marital assets will be distributed in the process, but you also want to protect yourself and ensure you will be financially stable in the years following the divorce.

This pull between having to split up your assets and wanting to keep what is rightfully yours can prove to be much more powerful and frightening than some people expect. In some cases, spouses feel driven to take drastic measures to protect themselves. Unfortunately, this can be a very big mistake if you try to protect yourself by hiding assets.

Hiding assets before your divorce is illegal. Both spouses are expected to be truthful and forthright when it comes to disclosing assets during a divorce, and failure to do this can result in serious consequences.

Among the many consequences that can be handed down, as noted in this Forbes article, you could face:

  • Financial penalties that favor your ex
  • Orders to pay your ex’s legal fees
  • Loss of all hidden assets to your ex
  • Contempt of court charges that result in jail time

These penalties can prove to be financially devastating if there is a significant sum of money at stake; instead of protecting yourself by hiding assets, you could be seriously damaging your financial future.

Rather than resort to unlawful measures in an effort to turn the tables in your favor during your divorce, it can be much wiser to work with an attorney experienced in high-asset Florida divorces to pursue legal means of doing so instead. With legal guidance, you can make sure your separate assets are protected and that any settlement regarding asset distribution is fair.

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Sparkman Law Firm
313 South Bungalow Park Avenue
Tampa, FL 33609
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P: 813-374-2000
F: 813-374-2031

313 South Bungalow Park Avenue
Tampa,FL33609
Phone
813-374-2000
Fax
813-374-2031