• 05
  • July
    2011

Denver residents might have been surprised when Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver announced their separation in May. After all, there was little public evidence that their marriage was under strain. Now, there is even more surprising news; Schwarzenegger apparently wants to give Shriver more assets than required by law.

Shriver filed for divorce from the former California governor earlier this month. Now, it is rumored that Schwarzenegger is open to giving Shriver more of their $750 million fortune than would be required by California's divorce laws. California is a community property state, meaning all assets acquired during a marriage are divided equally among the spouses. Supposedly, Schwarzenegger feels guilty for having a child out of wedlock and also wants to make sure that Shriver can continue to give the couple's four children the lifestyle they have become accustomed to.

(As with any celebrity news, this should be taken with a grain of salt. Rumors sometimes turn into "fact" at some point during their path down the grapevine.)

Naturally, most Denver couples do not have a $750 million bank account to divide. But, like Shriver and Schwarzenegger, they probably have children whose futures need to be considered, homes and assets like 401(K)s and IRAs to be divided. Talking about finances can be difficult - no one wants to come off as greedy, but no one wants to walk away empty-handed, either. It can be helpful to speak with an experienced family law attorney about these matters. Such an attorney will have worked with divorcing couples before and may be able to provide some helpful tips and advice.

Source: The New York Post, "Arnold set to give Maria Shriver 'very generous' divorce settlement: report," 5 July 2011.