Divorce proves costly for celebrity chef and cookbook author, Giada de Laurentiis. The highly paid Food Network star officially ended her 11-year marriage to husband Todd Thompson last Fall. The two will share custody of their only child, a seven-year-old daughter. De Laurentiis has been ordered to pay her ex $9,000 per month in child support as well as split a large portion of her fortune earned during their marriage.
The couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement when they married in 2003. Since the former couple live under California law, Giada will have to pay Thompson half of all of her profits from every cookbook she published during their marriage. Additionally, she must split 50% of the unpaid advances from cookbooks that she has written but not yet published. Those profits alone are reportedly worth more than five million dollars. Giada was; however, permitted to keep all rights to an untitled cookbook she has in the works as well as her production company Linguine Productions and GDL Foods, Inc.
Thompson, a successful designer for Anthropologie, is worth an estimated $15 million himself. As part of the divorce settlement, he will keep the couple’s Pacific Palisades home worth $3.2 million, $300,000 in art and furnishings, as well as his membership to the exclusive Bel-Air Bay Club. The couple will also split a reported two million dollars worth of funds they held in various bank accounts. Neither party will have to pay the other spousal support.
Divorces between couples of high net worth can be decidedly more challenging than typical divorce cases. The primary reason for this is the exceptionally high stakes involved in asset valuation and property division. Without proper representation, a high asset or high income divorce can become a lengthy, bitter, and expensive battle.
Towson Divorce Lawyers Find Effective Solutions to Issues That Arise in Complex High Asset Divorces
At Huesman, Jones & Miles, our Towson divorce lawyers have successfully handled complex high asset divorces. We work with top quality professionals in the fields of tax law, asset and business valuation, forensic accounting and financial investigation to ensure that our clients receive nothing less than their fair share from their divorce. Our attorneys have built a reputation for finding peaceful and creative solutions for even the most complex divorces. If you are ready to take the first step toward a new life, contact us online or call 443-589-0150 today to schedule a consultation with one of our seasoned Towson divorce lawyers.
