BEN Affleck is entitled to half of his estranged wife Jennifer Lopez's earnings from the past two years - which could total around $80 million - because they never signed a prenup. Jennifer filed for divorce on Tuesday , August 20, which was her and Ben's second wedding anniversary. The star, 55, was rumored to be living separately from her spouse for weeks before it was finally announced they had put their $68 million home on the market last month.
She eventually bit the bullet and filed divorce papers in Los Angeles Superior Court, choosing the significant day to mark the end of a rollercoaster chapter. Interestingly, she filed without a lawyer and listed their separation date as April 26, according to TMZ. The outlet also reported that the couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement, which has shocked fans.
Jennifer Lopez Reports suggest Jennifer makes around $40 million a year, while Affleck is believed to earn less . However, he is still reported to be making big bucks. Family law attorney Andrew Zashin broke down how the divorce could pan out in an exclusive chat with The U.
S. Sun. He said, "Without a pre-nuptial agreement, which is a pre-marital agreement whereby the parties promise to divide (or keep) their assets in a certain way, all of the earnings earned during the marriage could be considered 'marital property,' or 'community property,' and each party would have a 50-50 stake in them.
"Both Jennifer and Ben are high-net-worth individuals, meaning there are substantial assets (she is worth approximately $400 million and he is worth approximately $160 million) to be divided as they terminate their marriage. Most read in Celebrity Dividing marital assets can have financial and tax consequences." "Jennifer’s net worth is approximately four times that of Ben's, so it could have been a costly choice for her to forego a prenup.
"Something we calculate in my practice is an equalization of the assets, so the sum total of the assets that each person leaves the marriage with is approximately half of the total assets earned during the marriage; for 'Bennifer,' that would include acting and production earnings, deals from licensing agreements, including endorsements, and the value of real estate and other investment. During their marriage Lopez starred in "Shotgun Wedding," "The Mother," " This is Me..
.Now " and "Atlas." She is thought to have taken on a lot more projects than Affleck, 52, and earned more money, according to reports.
Lawyer Zashin explained, "Jennifer has various endorsement deals, including beauty contracts (JLo Beauty), fashion deals (Gucci, Versace, Intimissimi), and her alcohol brand, Delola, which launched in 2023 during the marriage. Ben is potentially entitled to half of everything earned from these ventures. "Finally, Jennifer has a famous car collection – if the value of any of these vehicles increased in the past two years, Ben is entitled to half of the increased value.
"Similarly, each party is entitled to half of the increased value of their various homes in California, Florida, and Georgia and may have to take on half of the debt of the other party." During their marriage, Affleck starred in the movies "Air" and "Hypnotic", while he also produced “The Instigators," and finished filming "The Accountant 2." "Air" alone grossed $90 Million and Affleck also purchased his own $20 million home.
Andrew went on, "Based on my experience, I recommend that anyone – especially someone with a high net worth and considerable assets – at least consult with an attorney before they take action, in order to learn not only about the process but also about the laws in their jurisdiction. Dividing marital assets can have financial and tax consequences. JLo and Ben were first linked together in 2002 and became engaged later that year.
However, they called off the wedding just two years later. They rekindled their romance in 2021 and finally got hitched in 2022 before filing for divorce this year. Here is a timeline of their love story: June 2002 - Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck met on the set of Gigli and JLo divorced from her second husband Cris Judd November 2002 - Ben proposed to JLo with a six-carat pink diamond ring September 2003 - JLo and Ben called off their wedding and blamed it on 'excessive media attention' January 2004 - The celebrity couple announce they are heading separate ways July 2021 - JLo posts an intimate photo of herself beside Ben and they begin dating again April 2022 - Ben proposes to JLo for a second time July 2022 - The celebrity couple officially celebrated their nuptials in a Las Vegas, Nevada, ceremony August 2022 - Ben and JLo have a second A-list wedding at their $8.
9million George estate February 2023 - Ben and JLo go viral after she is seen appearing to scold him at the Grammy Awards as the camera swung by their table, while photos often showed him looking exhausted and miserable on outings with his wife. May 2024 - Divorce rumors began to swirl with sources alleging they were not compatible and Ben was sick of marriage. July 2024 - The pair publicly listed their new marital home for $68 million and it was reported they were living separately in new properties.
August 2024 - JLo finally filed for divorce on their second wedding anniversary on August 20. "It is more than likely – given what's at stake – that Jennifer and Ben will consult with or retain lawyers to guide them through this process. "If the couple agrees on every financial matter, including how to divide the proceeds of the sale of their $60 million home, perhaps an attorney is not necessary.
"But it would be wise to get an attorney's opinion. In my practice, when couples disagree, we may suggest they go through a mediation process; sometimes a third party can 'referee' better during high-stakes negotiations." Lopez and Ben first started dating in 2002 after growing close while filming their movie Gigli.
They got engaged but Affleck called it quits in 2004, leaving the singer devastated. He later revealed the attention was too much for him and he didn't like his relationship being so public. Affleck went on to marry Jennifer Garner, and have children, while Lopez also had kids with Marc Anthony.
They both dated other people for years until finally reconciling in 2021 and they wasted no time heading down the aisle with a wedding in Las Vegas a year later. Lopez organized a second, extravagant ceremony with no expense spared at Affleck's home in Georgia in August 2022, and they said 'I Do' in front of friends and family. Rumors began swirling of trouble in Paradise around May 2024, when Lopez walked the red carpet at the Met Gala alone .
It followed an earlier moment when Affleck was caught on camera being scolded by his wife for not appearing to look motivated during the Grammys in February 2023 . They began living separate lives but decided not to release a statement before Lopez finally filed for divorce this week. Affleck is yet to respond to the court filing or hire an attorney, according to reports.
Read More on The US Sun Asked if he thinks it could be a long divorce, attorney Zashin added, "The timeline of divorce has no guarantees, but if they agree on everything, it could be a quick process. "Divorce is a grieving process. Even if they are ready to move on, it can weigh on them emotionally.
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