Washington, D.C. High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer

At Fait & DiLima Family Law, we provide high net worth divorce representation grounded in decades of work on behalf of clients across Washington, D.C., and the surrounding region.

If your divorce in Washington involves significant wealth, the outcome depends on how carefully assets are identified, valued, and divided. At Fait & DiLima Family Law, our Washington, D.C. high net worth divorce lawyer brings the financial fluency these cases require. Marjorie G. DiLima earned an M.B.A. alongside her law degree and an LL.M. in Taxation, and she has guided clients through high-asset divorce for more than three decades. Contact our office to discuss the specifics of your case.

High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer Washington, D.C.

A high net worth divorce is a divorce where the marital estate includes substantial or complex property, such as closely held businesses, investment portfolios, real estate beyond the family home, executive compensation, or inherited wealth held in trust. The legal standard mirrors any other District divorce, but the financial stakes and the valuation questions are considerably higher. A modest error in classifying or valuing a single asset can move hundreds of thousands of dollars from one side of the ledger to the other.

Accurate discovery is influential in these cases. Assets must be located, characterized as marital or separate, and assigned a defensible value before the court can divide anything. Much of the work in a high asset divorce happens inside the financial record, because the numbers shape every part of the result. An attorney who can read those records closely is often the difference between a fair division and a costly one.

Types of High Net Worth Divorce Cases We Handle in Washington

High net worth divorces are not a single category. Each one carries its own mix of asset types, and each asset type raises its own valuation and division questions. We represent clients in the following matters throughout the District.

• Business ownership. When one or both spouses own a company, the business must be valued and its marital share identified. We work with forensic accountants to examine books, distributions, and goodwill. We address whether the enterprise is sold, bought out, or offset against other property. Goodwill, retained earnings, and the owner’s own compensation all affect the final figure, and reasonable professionals often reach different conclusions. We also help owners protect a business built before the marriage from unnecessary exposure.
• Investment portfolios. Brokerage accounts, private equity, and similar holdings can shift in value throughout a case. We trace contributions, separate marital growth from separate property, and account for the cost basis that determines what an account is actually worth after a sale. Timing can matter as well, because the value a court relies on may depend on the date it selects.
• Real estate holdings. Beyond the marital home, couples may hold rental properties, vacation homes, or commercial parcels. Each requires appraisal, and each carries mortgage, income, and tax considerations that affect how it is divided or traded against other assets. Properties that produce rental income raise the added question of how that income is handled while the case is pending.
• Executive compensation and deferred income. Stock options, restricted stock units, bonuses, and deferred plans often vest over a period of years, which complicates both valuation and characterization. We analyze grant dates and vesting schedules, and we account for the tax consequences that shape what each award is truly worth.
• Trusts and inherited wealth. Property received by gift, bequest, or inheritance is generally separate, but commingling can change that. We examine how inherited funds were held and spent because the line between separate and marital property is where a great deal of money is won or lost.
• Retirement and pension division. Retirement savings built during the marriage are typically marital property. Dividing retirement accounts often calls for a qualified domestic relations order, and the tax treatment of each account affects its real value to you.
• Concealed or undisclosed assets. Some spouses move, undervalue, or hide property to reduce what they owe. We pursue full disclosure through discovery and, where needed, forensic accounting to surface hidden assets and hold the other side accountable.

Why Choose Fait & DiLima Family Law as Your High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer in Washington, D.C.?

A Practice Built on Financial Fluency

Marjorie G. DiLima, Managing Partner of Fait & DiLima Family Law, earned a J.D. and an M.B.A. with honors, then completed an LL.M. in Taxation at Georgetown University Law. That background lets her read financial statements, weigh the after-tax effect of a proposed settlement, and question an opposing valuation on cross-examination. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, the Appellate Court of Maryland, and the U.S. Tax Court. Marjorie is also certified in mediation and collaborative law, which can offer a more private route to resolving a high-asset dispute when both spouses are willing to negotiate. Our divorce lawyer in Washington, D.C. brings a strong family law footing to the most complex, high-value matters.

Recognition and a Record of Results

Peers and national publications have recognized Marjorie’s work over many years. Super Lawyers has named her for ten consecutive years, Best Lawyers listed her in 2023 and 2024, and U.S. News & World Report has ranked the firm among its Best Law Firms. She holds a lifetime position with the American Inns of Court. Our firm maintains a record of favorable outcomes in contested, high-asset divorce and support matters.

What Is Important to Understand About High Net Worth Divorce Cases?

How the District Divides Property and Awards Alimony

The District of Columbia is an equitable distribution jurisdiction, which means a court divides marital property in a way that is fair rather than automatically equal. Under D.C. Code § 16-910, the court first returns to each spouse the separate property they brought into the marriage or received by gift or inheritance, then distributes the remaining marital property according to a set of statutory factors. Those factors include:

• The length of the marriage and each spouse’s age, health, and income
• Each spouse’s contribution to acquiring, preserving, or increasing the value of assets
• Whether either spouse dissipated marital assets during the marriage
• The tax consequences of dividing particular assets
• Each spouse’s separate obligations and future financial needs

Spousal support follows its own analysis. Under D.C. Code § 16-913, a court may award alimony that is term-limited or indefinite, weighing the standard of living during the marriage, its duration, and each party’s needs and ability to pay. The property statute also lets a court order a share of a pension or annuity through periodic payments rather than fixing a single present value, which matters when retirement benefits are the largest asset a couple holds. In a complex divorce with substantial assets, these two determinations become central to the case. Amendments that took effect in 2024 also direct courts to weigh a history of financial, physical, or emotional abuse in both decisions.

What Are Important Aspects of a High Net Worth Divorce?

Several features set these matters apart from a standard divorce and deserve attention from the first meeting. Handling them well early tends to ward against several problems, while getting them wrong can be costly to correct later.

• Valuation drives outcomes, and a business, pension, or portfolio can be worth very different amounts depending on the method and the date used.
• Characterization is often contested; whether an asset counts as marital or separate frequently decides who keeps it.
• Discovery is a component of the case. Full disclosure, sometimes supported by a forensic accountant, guards against concealment.
• Two assets with the same face value can carry very different after-tax worth, so taxes belong in every settlement calculation.

What Is the High Net Worth Divorce Timeline?

No two divorce cases move at the same pace, and complex assets usually lengthen the process. A contested high-asset divorce commonly runs a year or more from filing to resolution, though many settle before trial. Expert valuations and contested discovery are the usual reasons a high-value case takes longer than a straightforward one. The stages generally look like this:

• Filing the complaint and exchanging initial financial disclosures
• Discovery, including document production and depositions
• Valuation of businesses, real estate, and retirement interests
• Negotiation or mediation to narrow the disputed issues
• Settlement or trial, followed by entry of the final decree

What Should You Bring to Your High Net Worth Divorce Consultation?

You do not need every document to begin. Bring the financial records you have, and we will identify what else is needed.

• Recent tax returns and W-2 or K-1 forms
• Statements for bank, brokerage, and retirement accounts
• Business records, if you or your spouse owns a company
• Deeds, appraisals, and mortgage statements for real property
• Any prenuptial or postnuptial agreement

Washington, D.C. Legal Resources for High Net Worth Divorce Cases

The public resources below can help you understand how District law treats divorce and property. They are offered for general information only, and Fait & DiLima Family Law does not endorse or control outside websites.

• The Family Court of the D.C. Superior Court hears divorce, property, and support cases for District residents and publishes the forms used to begin one.
• The court’s Self-Help Center offers forms and guidance for those without a lawyer.
• The District’s property-division and alimony statutes appear in Title 16, Chapter 9 of the D.C. Code, where you can read the factors a judge must weigh.

Reach Out to Fait & DiLima Family Law to Schedule a Consultation

Protecting significant assets in a divorce starts with sound advice. Our attorneys will review your finances, explain how District law applies to your marital estate, and map out the steps ahead. We take the time each case requires and respond promptly when questions come up. Contact us to schedule a consultation and begin protecting what you have built amidst divorce.