People in New Jersey who are fans of Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie may have heard that the two have split after a dozen years together. They have only been married since 2014, but experts say they probably had a prenuptial agreement. Both have been married before, and they had considerable earnings before and during their marriage.
It is estimated that the two have earned a total of about $555 million since they got together in 2004. Since their marriage, Pitt has earned almost twice as much as Jolie, but if they do have a prenup, it will probably specify that any money earned while they were married belongs to the person who earned it. While the prenup will likely deal with assets acquired while the two were married, such as property, the two bought homes in Europe and New Orleans prior to marriage, and this is not considered marital property.
Also at issue is the custody of their six children. Jolie has filed for full custody. If this is the outcome, Pitt will also be required to pay child support. However, if they share custody and the children spend half of their time with each parent, neither parent is required to pay support to the other.
Divorce, whether due to irreconcilable differences or for other reasons, can be a difficult time as people attempt to make hard decisions amid emotional turmoil. As difficult as those decisions are, some couples may find that they are happier with the outcome if they are able to negotiate it themselves rather than going before a judge. If a case goes to litigation and a person is unhappy with a judge’s decision, there might be little they can do to change it. Mediation or arbitration might make it possible for even high-conflict couples to reach an agreement on property division and child custody.
