He told the court his business made $40,000 a year. It was worth $20 million.

That's the case Jamie Lima opens this episode with, and it's every business owner's divorce in one story. A "little side gig" doing grading and stonework, $2 to $3 million in top line revenue, five vehicles and a Polaris on the balance sheet, the kids' braces written off as a business expense. His wife walked in believing they made $40K a year. She walked out a creditor of a multimillion-dollar company.

This week Stoy Hall, CFP® sits down with Jamie Lima, founder of Allegiant Divorce Solutions and SecureSplit, to pull apart what actually happens when a business lands in the middle of a divorce. They get into why "it's worth $20 million, give me half" is a fantasy, why most valuations are paper valuations and not liquid cash, and how a real appraisal peels back the onion on everything an owner tries to bury.

They go deep on protection, too. Why the wrong prenup gets pierced in court, when a postnup actually helps, how to keep a business you started mid-marriage from becoming automatic 50/50, and where a buy-sell agreement and key man insurance quietly save the whole thing. This is the stuff nobody thinks about until they're already in it.

Jamie's hard truth is blunt: if you think you're going to hide the money, you're going to be unfortunately surprised at what we can find. Tax returns tell the story. The K-1 tells the story. The retained earnings tell the story. You can't hide around the money, so don't try.

His plan is just as simple. Know what you own, and know what you owe. And if you're the spouse of a business owner, get to know that balance sheet and P&L now, because you're probably an owner on paper and don't even know it. Do that one thing and you're light years ahead of almost everyone who walks through his door.

🎧 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fb5o6Bd0ZHc

Connect with Jamie Lima:
Allegiant Divorce Solutions: https://allegiantds.com/
SecureSplit: https://securesplit.com/

Going through this yourself? Reach out to Jamie and his team at https://allegiantds.com/

If this hit home, drop a comment. Tell me where you're feeling it most. I read every single one.

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