Angelina Jolie Reveals Why Brangelina is No More

Angelina Jolie has been very private concerning her divorce from fellow actor Brad Pitt. The two were often photographed while together and the media dubbed the couple Brangelina. Since their divorce, Jolie has had primary custody of the couple’s children. Pitt admitted that alcoholism played a role in the couple’s divorce and Jolie later said that the divorce was “in the best interests of her family”.

The couple separated back in 2016, but their divorce wasn’t finalized until 2019. The two moved for a “bifurcated divorce” which means that the marriage was technically terminated before the particulars of the divorce were finalized.

What is a Bifurcated Divorce? 

The term “bifurcated” means “divided in two”. In the case of a bifurcated divorce, it means dividing the divorce process into two parts. The one part terminated the marriage even as the divorce decree and post-divorce settlement have yet to be agreed upon.

Typically, bifurcated divorces are an option when a couple agrees on all matters of the divorce except one issue. More often than not, that issue is custody.

You hear about bifurcated divorces in the news more often than they’re actually used. This is because high-profile and high-asset couples tend to favor bifurcated divorces for a variety of reasons. That doesn’t mean, however, that a person who is not a celebrity can also benefit from a bifurcated divorce.

Why Do Couples Opt for Bifurcated Divorces? 

The best reason anyone has to pursue a bifurcated divorce is that they want to remarry. The court will terminate the marriage in advance of signing off on a divorce decree, and the couple settles matters after their marriage has been legally terminated.

In some cases, pursing a bifurcated divorce can have tax benefits. If a filer wishes to file as single, their divorce needs to be finalized. This would allow them to write off their spousal support payments for tax purposes.

Some vindictive spouses attempt to drag out the process for as long as they can knowing full well that the other spouse will not be able to move forward with their life until the divorce is settled. In that case, a spouse could file a motion for a bifurcated divorce to get the process moving.

The last reason someone might want to file for a bifurcated divorce is because their divorce is being held up by a bankruptcy. Since bankruptcy case assets to be frozen, the entire divorce would be halted while the bankruptcy is pending. If one spouse wants to move the process along, they can file for a bifurcated divorce.

Not all states allow bifurcated divorces, but Florida is among the ones that do. However, those instances are limited to extraordinary circumstances such as one spouse abusing the process by stalling the proceedings in court or one spouse who is terminally ill.

Talk to a West Palm Beach Divorce Attorney 

If you’re considering divorce during this difficult time, contact the West Palm Beach divorce attorneys at Bruce S. Rosenwater & Associates today and learn more about how we can help.

Resource:

vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/angelina-jolie-on-the-global-refugee-crisis-motherhood-and-covid-19

https://www.rosenwater.com/zooey-deschanel-and-jacob-pechenik-officially-divorced/