Dwight Howard’s wife has filed for divorce after just 6 months of marriage — and wants all marital assets, property to be ‘equally divided.’ Are your assets protected from a breakup?

So while Amber may have a list of what she wants — alimony, assets and a fair cut of the marital pot — if the parties can’t agree, it’ll ultimately be up to the courts to decide who walks away with what.

Protecting your finances

Love might be blind, but your financial planning shouldn't be. Before merging lives, couples should have open, honest conversations about money. That includes income, debt, spending habits and long-term goals. It's not always romantic, but transparency can be the key to building a healthy financial future together.

If you have pre-material assets that you want to protect, it might be worth considering an option like a prenuptial agreement, especially if either partner is entering the relationship with significant assets, a business or financial obligations. A prenup can be a way to clarify expectations and protect both parties in case things don’t go as planned.

Even Canadian Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary doesn’t mix love and money, at least, not without ground rules. Speaking on Fox Business in March 2024, O’Leary said he "forbids" blended finances in his family and "forces prenups" as a standard.

"You need a prenup," he told Fox Business. "It forces you to ask those questions of your potential partner: 'Do you have debt? Have you ever been bankrupt? Has your family ever [been] bankrupt?'”

It’s also smart to keep detailed records of who contributes what financially, especially if you’re co-investing in major assets like property. Maintaining separate accounts, along with one shared account for joint expenses, can offer both flexibility and protection.

Lastly, understand the laws in your state. Whether you live in a community property or equitable distribution state can drastically affect how things are divided if the relationship ends.