If you and your spouse own a business together, then divorce will complicate things. While some couples can carry on working together once they end their marriage, many cannot. If that is the situation in your case, then you might end up arguing about who gets to keep the business.
Businesses certainly can be worth fighting for, but this is not a given. Considering the following can help you make the best choices.
How much of the success rests on the other person?
Clients frequent a business for many reasons. Sometimes it is just about price, but other times the personalities involved in the business play a big role. Let’s say you and your spouse run a popular restaurant. You are the head chef and your spouse manages the front of the house. Would your spouse do quite so well without your unique cooking skills or the publicity your reputation generates? Could you ever find someone to run things as well as they do? Sometimes people are easy to replace, and sometimes losing them would be hugely detrimental to business.
How long would the business last if you did not have marital problems?
Businesses do not last forever. All businesses will come to an end at some point. You need to step back and try to work out what future the business has. Is it close to the end of its natural life, perhaps because the market has changed or because there is far more competition than before? Or is there still a good amount of money to be made for years to come?
With appropriate legal guidance, you can make wise decisions about what to fight for and what to let go when you divorce.
