Going through a divorce means you have to divide everything that you acquired during the marriage. For some people, the family business is one of these things. There are a few things that you need to think about when you’re trying to handle a business during your divorce.
You and your ex will likely have to decide together what will happen to the company. This might take some negotiations. You may also need a valuation of the company so you have that information.
Options for the company
There are several options for a company. You can close it or sell it. You may opt to keep it, which means one spouse needs to buy the other out or the owners need to work together to run it.
Talking to workers
You’ll have to let your employees know what’s going on once you decide what’s happening with the company. Give them the facts. Make sure everything you say is the truth. Be prepared to answer questions about the future of the business.
If only one spouse knows about the financial health of the company, they may try to hide how profitable it is. This makes the property division unbalanced and can lead to legal issues. If you think that your ex is hiding money related to the business, you should work with someone who can help you find out if sudden income deficit syndrome is occurring.
Making sure you protect yourself in the divorce must be your priority. You must try to balance that with protecting the company unless you’re planning on closing it. Working with someone familiar with business owner divorce may be beneficial for you.