Statistics show that many marriages end before the traditional “death us do part.” While the subject of divorce can be a touchy one, the end of a high-profile couple’s marriage can be as widely publicized as its beginning. This is particularly the case when A-list celebrities and large amounts of money are involved.
Many Fort Collins, Colorado, readers are undoubtedly familiar with Russell Crowe, star of films such as “Gladiator” and “A Beautiful Mind.” He and Danielle Spencer, his wife of nine years, are due to split up, begging the question of how Crowe’s fortune is to be divided between them.
The actor has reportedly earned more than $150 million in the last 20 years of his career and has $50 million invested in real estate, business assets and his children’s trust funds. This high-asset divorce could result in Spencer receiving $25 million from the division of Crowe’s estate.
The couple reportedly signed a prenuptial agreement that guaranteed Spencer at least $15 million in the couple stayed married for at least three years. With the way that Crowe’s career has taken off, he’s likely happy that he negotiated the prenuptial agreement.
Although $25 million may seem like a lot of money, other recent high-profile divorces have resulted in even larger payouts for ex-wives. Mel Gibson’s split from his wife cost him $425 million, while Rupert Murdoch found himself paying out $1.7 billion when his marriage ended. High-asset divorces can be extremely costly, so it is important for those with means to keep themselves abreast of developments in the law that may apply to them in the event of a divorce.
Source: HuffingtonPost.com, “Russell Crowe Divorce: Danielle Spencer Could Receive $25 Million,” Oct. 15, 2012
