BEN Affleck is entitled to half of his estranged wife Jennifer Lopez’s earnings from the past two years – a total of around $80 million – because the two never signed a prenuptial agreement.
Jennifer filed for divorce on Tuesday, August 20, her and Ben’s second wedding anniversary.
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The 55-year-old star was rumored to have been living apart from her husband for weeks before it was finally announced last month that the pair had put their $68 million home up for sale.
Finally, she gritted her teeth and filed divorce papers in Los Angeles Superior Court, choosing this momentous day as the end of a chapter full of ups and downs.
Interestingly, according to TMZ, she filed for divorce without a lawyer and gave April 26 as the separation date.
The outlet also reported that the couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement, which shocked fans.
Jennifer reportedly earns around $40 million a year, while Affleck probably earns less. Nevertheless, he is said to make a lot of money.
Family law attorney Andrew Zashin explained how the divorce could turn out in an exclusive interview with The US Sun.
He said: “Without a prenuptial agreement, which is a pre-marriage agreement in which the parties promise to divide (or keep) their assets in a certain way, any income earned during the marriage could be considered ‘marital property’ or ‘community property’ and each spouse would have a 50:50 share in it.
“Both Jennifer and Ben are very high net worth individuals, meaning that if their marriage is dissolved, there will be significant assets (her net worth is approximately $400 million, his net worth is approximately $160 million) to divide.
The division of marital assets can have financial and tax consequences.”
Attorney Andrew Zashin
“Jennifer’s net worth is about four times that of Ben, so foregoing a prenuptial agreement may have been a costly decision for her.
“In my practice, we calculate an equalization of assets so that the total amount of assets each person emerges from the marriage with is approximately half of the total assets acquired during the marriage. In the case of ‘Bennifer,’ that would be income from acting and production, contracts from licensing agreements, including endorsement deals, and the value of real estate and other investments.
During her marriage, Lopez starred in “Shotgun Wedding,” “The Mother,” “This is Me…Now,” and “Atlas.”
According to reports, she took on significantly more projects than 52-year-old Affleck and earned more money.
Attorney Zashin stated: “Jennifer has various endorsement deals, including beauty deals (JLo Beauty), fashion deals (Gucci, Versace, Intimissimi) and her alcohol brand Delola, which launched in 2023 during the marriage. Ben may be entitled to half of all proceeds from these ventures.
“Finally, Jennifer owns a famous car collection. If the value of any of these vehicles has increased in the last two years, Ben is entitled to half of that increase in value.
“Similarly, each party is entitled to half of the increase in value of their various homes in California, Florida and Georgia and may be required to assume half of the other party’s debts.”
During their marriage, Affleck starred in the films “Air” and “Hypnotic,” produced “The Instigators,” and completed filming on “The Accountant 2.”
“Air” alone grossed $90 million and Affleck also bought his own house for $20 million.
Andrew continued, “Based on my experience, I recommend that anyone – especially someone with a high net worth and significant assets – at least consult with an attorney before taking any action to educate themselves not only on the process but also on the laws in their jurisdiction. The division of marital assets can have financial and tax consequences.
Chronicle of the relationship between Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
JLo and Ben were first linked in 2002 and got engaged later that year. However, they called off the wedding just two years later. They rekindled their romance in 2021 and finally married in 2022 before filing for divorce this year. Here’s a timeline of their love story:
- June 2002 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck met on the set of Gigli and JLo divorced 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, blaming “excessive media attention”
- January 2004 – The celebrity couple announces that they are going their separate ways
- July 2021 – JLo posts an intimate photo of herself next to Ben and they start dating again
- April 2022 – Ben proposes to JLo for a second time
- July 2022 – The celebrity couple officially celebrated their wedding in a ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada
- August 2022 – Ben and JLo celebrate their second A-list wedding at their $8.9 million estate in George
- February 2023 – Ben and JLo go viral after she is seen telling him off at the Grammy Awards as the camera pans past their table, while photos often show him exhausted and miserable during outings with his wife.
- June 2024 – Divorce rumors began to swirl. Sources claimed they weren’t suited to each other and Ben was tired of the marriage.
- July 2024 – The couple publicly listed their new home together for $68 million and it was reported that they were living separately in the new properties.
- August 2024 – JLo finally filed for divorce on their second wedding anniversary, August 20.
“Given what is at stake, it is more than likely that Jennifer and Ben will consult or retain attorneys to guide them through this process.
“If the couple agrees on all financial issues, including how to divide the proceeds from the sale of their $60 million home, a lawyer may not be necessary.
“But it would be wise to seek the opinion of a lawyer. In my practice, when couples have a disagreement, we suggest that they go through mediation. Sometimes a third party can act as a better arbitrator in negotiations where there is a lot at stake.”
Lopez and Ben began dating in 2002 after bonding while filming their movie “Gigli.”
They became engaged, but Affleck split up in 2004, leaving the singer devastated.
He later admitted that the attention was too much for him and that he did not like his relationship being made so public.
Affleck married Jennifer Garner and had children, while Lopez also had children with Marc Anthony.
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They both dated other people for years before finally reconciling in 2021, and wasted no time in getting married in Las Vegas a year later.
Lopez organized a second, extravagant, no-expenses-spared ceremony at Affleck’s Georgia home in August 2022, and they said “I do” in front of friends and family.
In May 2024, rumors of trouble in paradise first emerged when Lopez walked the Met Gala red carpet alone.
Affleck was previously caught on camera with his wife scolding him for not appearing motivated at the Grammys in February 2023.
They began living separate lives but decided not to make a statement before Lopez finally filed for divorce this week.
Affleck has reportedly not responded to the court filing or hired a lawyer.
When asked if he thought the divorce could take a long time, attorney Zashin replied, “There is no guarantee of the timeline of the divorce, but if they agree on all points, it could be a quick process.”
“Divorce is a grieving process. Even if those involved are ready to move on, it can be emotionally stressful.”
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