When many Ohio couples decide to divorce, one of the most contentious undertakings is dividing the assets. If the parties cannot come to an agreement, the court will resolve the dispute between them. Fans of the 90s’ British pop group, the Spice Girls, may be interested in some of the problems between Scary Spice, or Mel B, and her soon-to-be ex-husband, Stephen Belafonte, since she filed for divorce a few months ago.
Stephen claims he is not earning any money at all and stays with different friends for a few nights at a time. Mel kicked him out of their house, and he says he is now homeless since he cannot afford a place on his salary of nothing. He is also not able to pay anything on a credit card with a balance totaling $60,000 and is worried his credit score is in serious danger.
Stephen is now asking for Mel’s financial help. According to him, she makes well over $2,000,000 each year from her monthly earnings, endorsements and guest appearances. He has not specified the amount of spousal support he is requesting, but he has said that, together, they lived as if money was no object, and he has become accustomed to that lifestyle. He also claimed that he had a chance to work on a project with a payout of $500,000, but the bad press surrounding their divorce caused the deal to fall through. In addition to funding his lifestyle, he wants Mel B to pay for the fees he has incurred with his divorce lawyers and his accountant.
Ohio is an equitable distribution state where the court considers several factors when trying to fairly divide assets earned during the length of a marriage. The laws surrounding divorce can be complicated and confusing. An attorney who has a wealth of knowledge in family law will be able to answer any questions that arise and assist in seeking a fair settlement.
Source: tmz.com, “Stephen Belafonte Wants Big Money from Mel B in Alimony in Divorce“, May 26, 2017
