It has been just about one year since Pennsylvania readers heard that Demi Moore was planning to divorce Ashton Kutcher. Indeed, scandal sheets were quick to report that Ashton was said to have spent the couple’s sixth wedding anniversary pursuing another woman. A divorce announcement followed in Nov. 2011. Now, coming up on the one year anniversary of that announcement, no divorce papers have been filed.
Sources attribute the delay to financial issues. In a high asset divorce such as the one between Ashton and Demi, it is not surprising that negotiations over money might hold things up. It was not reported that the couple have a prenuptial agreement, and the economic fortunes of both have changed over the course of their marriage. Last year, Ashton was reportedly the highest paid actor on television, with Demi apparently earning substantially less.
It has been suggested that Ashton is not interested in agreeing to a high payout to Demi. Nevertheless, it has not been confirmed that is the reason for the delay. The attorneys for each party, however, are said to be at work attempting to negotiate a final agreement. No information has been revealed as to what disagreements about finances may be holding up a settlement.
Each divorce is different, and a high asset divorce has further complications when a celebrity couple is involved. In Pennsylvania, those couples seeking to end their marriage have a variety of options to choose from, including mediation and a collaborative divorce. These alternatives seek to keep proceedings out of court and, consequently, out of the public eye. While it remains to be seen if Demi and Ashton will be successful in concluding their divorce in a private manner, the fact that negotiations have apparently been ongoing for the better part of a year with little information publicly divulged bodes well for them being able to accomplish just that.
Source: Huffington Post, “Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher: Money Is Slowing Down Divorce Proceedings,” Oct. 24, 2012