Divorcing in Fort Lauderdale?
Waterfront Property, Investment Portfolios, Yacht Assets — Do You Know What's Yours?

Waterfront Property & Intracoastal Real Estate

Fort Lauderdale is the "Venice of America" with 165 miles of navigable waterways. Waterfront property here commands premium values and creates unique divorce challenges:

Key considerations:

• Waterfront premium: Homes on the Intracoastal, New River, or oceanfront are worth significantly more than comparable inland properties
• Dock access: Deep-water dock slips and ocean access add substantial value — but how is this valued separately from the home?
• Multiple properties: Many Fort Lauderdale couples own primary residences plus investment properties, vacation homes, or condos
• Property tax benefits: Florida's Save Our Homes cap provides property tax savings, but only on homestead property. Moving loses this benefit

Yacht & Marine Assets

Fort Lauderdale hosts one of the world's largest boat shows and is a major yachting destination. Dividing marine assets requires special expertise:

Common yacht and marine considerations:

• Yacht valuation: Boats depreciate differently than cars. What's your 40-foot sport fishing boat actually worth?
• Marina slip ownership: Some marinas sell dock slips as real property. These can be worth $100K-$500K+ and must be valued separately
• Yacht club memberships: Bahia Mar, Pier 66, Lauderdale Yacht Club memberships may have significant transfer or initiation fees
• Maintenance costs: Post-divorce, can you afford the $20K-$100K+ annual cost of yacht ownership?

Investment Portfolios & Retirement Accounts

Fort Lauderdale attracts successful professionals, business owners, and retirees with substantial investment portfolios:

Assets to value and divide:

• Multi-million dollar brokerage and investment accounts
• Municipal bonds and tax-advantaged investments
• Private equity or hedge fund interests
• 401(k)s, IRAs, and pension plans from decades of work
• Deferred compensation and executive benefit plans
• Real estate investment trusts (REITs)

For those new to managing finances: If your spouse managed the family's wealth, you need to understand what you have, how it's structured, and what tax implications exist for division.

Business Interests & Professional Practices

Many Fort Lauderdale residents own businesses or professional practices that must be valued and potentially divided:

• Marine industry businesses (boat sales, yacht services, charter operations)
• Professional practices (medical, legal, financial advisory, dental)
• Real estate development and property management companies
• Hospitality and restaurant ownership
• Import/export and international trade businesses

Key question: Is the business value community property? Professional goodwill can be worth hundreds of thousands — or millions.

Florida's 2023 Alimony Reform Impact

Fort Lauderdale has historically seen substantial alimony awards in long, high-income marriages. The 2023 reform eliminating permanent alimony fundamentally changes planning:

Before 2023: After 25-30 years of marriage, the lower-earning spouse could expect permanent alimony to maintain lifestyle.

After 2023: Even in marriages of 30+ years, alimony is time-limited. Duration cannot exceed 75% of marriage length for long-term marriages.

What this means: If you expected to live on $15K-$30K/month in alimony indefinitely, you must now plan for alimony to end. Asset division becomes critical—you need assets generating income for life.