High Net Worth And Complex Divorce Attorney In Detroit And Bloomfield Hills

Last updated on September 29, 2026

Skilled Counsel For Divorces Involving Significant Assets

If you have significant marital assets, you probably feel concerned about what will happen to them in your pending divorce. Without a skilled divorce lawyer as your advocate, you stand to face a substantial financial loss.

This is where attorney Lisa D. Stern comes in. For more than 30 years, she has assisted clients throughout Michigan in attaining favorable asset distribution arrangements. Her skill in divorce representation, combined with her devotion to her clients, has earned her recognition as a 2025 and 2021 Lawyers Weekly Influential Women in Law Award recipient.

What Happens To Retirement Accounts In A Divorce?

After working for years to build your retirement funds, you now fear that you could lose them in your divorce. Fortunately, there is more than one option for dividing retirement assets. These options include:

• Immediate offset – One spouse gives the other spouse assets that equal the value of the retirement account
• Deferred division – One spouse receives a share of the account through a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) for private employer plans, or an Eligible Domestic Relations Order (EDRO) for Michigan public pensions such as MPSERS or MERS

If you are concerned about the division of your retirement accounts, contact attorney Lisa D. Stern. She can help you explore your options and can give you a better idea of what to expect from your divorce settlement.

Protecting Your Business Interests

Whether you or your spouse owns a small business or holds significant shares in one, business ownership raises unique concerns in divorce. These assets aren’t always easy to assess, value or divide equitably. Attorney Stern has handled numerous divorces involving complex business interests and will work with you to reach an equitable arrangement that also preserves your assets as much as possible.

It’s important to note that when a business is owned by one spouse, both spouses may have some rights to it. There are several ways to divide a business interest while fairly compensating each spouse for their contributions; financially or otherwise – to its growth. Attorney Stern can explain your rights, whether you’re the business owner or the owner’s spouse, and what they may mean for the business going forward.

Dividing Executive Compensation And Real Estate Portfolios

High-asset divorces often involve complex compensation and property issues. For executives and real estate investors, these assets may include:

• Restricted stock units (RSUs): RSUs can carry significant value, and how they’re treated in divorce depends on when they were awarded, earned or vested.
• Deferred compensation: Compensation paid out later may require closer analysis to determine what portion is attributable to the marriage.
• Stock options: Unexercised stock options can raise valuation and timing issues, particularly if they haven’t yet been exercised.
• Executive bonuses: Courts may factor bonuses into the overall marital estate when determining asset value.
• Multiple properties: Couples who own several residences, vacation homes or commercial properties may need to have each one valued as part of the marital estate.

These issues are especially relevant for executives, real estate investors and other high net worth individuals in Bloomfield Hills and Oakland County. Attorney Stern has experience negotiating executive compensation and handling divorces involving substantial assets, and she works with financial and valuation professionals to help ensure a fair division of the marital estate.

Handling Inheritances In Divorce

Some asset division through divorce is straightforward – inheritances are not always one of them. Under Michigan law, an inheritance received during the marriage and kept in one spouse’s name is typically considered separate property and excluded from the marital estate.

However, courts have discretion to deviate from this standard. This often happens when an inherited asset was commingled with marital assets – for example, deposited into a joint account – or used to acquire or improve other marital property.

Frequently Asked Questions About High-Asset Divorce

Dividing valuable assets can raise complex financial questions. Here are answers to some common concerns.

How does Oakland County family court typically handle the division of RSUs and executive bonuses?

Unvested RSUs and deferred compensation earned during the marriage generally qualify as marital property in Michigan, though the terms and timing of the compensation can affect how the court values and divides it.

Executive bonuses can also affect the value of the marital estate and deserve careful review. Attorney Stern negotiates executive compensation issues and works with financial professionals, when needed, to help determine fair value before the court enters its final judgment.

How are tax liabilities typically handled when dividing high-value assets in Michigan?

Michigan divorce settlements should account for the tax consequences of dividing or selling high-value assets. Selling stock or withdrawing funds from certain retirement accounts, for instance, can trigger capital gains taxes, income taxes or penalties – all of which can reduce what a spouse receives.

Attorney Stern works with financial experts, when appropriate, to calculate these potential costs and factor them into settlement negotiations, helping ensure both spouses understand the true after-tax value of what they’re receiving.

How are Bloomfield Hills vacation homes and commercial real estate valued during a divorce?

Vacation homes and commercial real estate can make up a substantial portion of a high net worth couple’s marital estate. Independent, local real estate appraisers can help establish accurate values for properties throughout Bloomfield Hills and Oakland County.

Attorney Stern reviews property valuations and challenges figures that don’t accurately reflect a property’s worth, providing a stronger foundation for negotiating the division of real estate.

Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today

You do not have to address the complex process of valuing and dividing substantial assets alone. Contact Lisa D. Stern today to receive her guidance. To schedule an initial consultation, call 248-973-7842, or send her an email.

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