After weeks of speculation, it turned out the rumors were true. Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen were getting a divorce.
Once the couple announced the news, it was over fast. The divorce was filed and finalized. How did the famous couple expedite their divorce and get through the process so quickly?
A Quick Brady-Bündchen History
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen have both created fame and wealth in their own right. Brady is hailed as the greatest NFL quarterback of all time, having won seven Super Bowls and earned a net worth of $250 million. Bündchen is one of the highest-paid supermodels in the world with an estimated net worth of $400 million.
The couple married in 2009 and grew their celebrity and wealth during their 13 years of marriage. But in 2022, their romance came to an end.
Related: What Would a Tom Brady / Gisele Bundchen Divorce Look Like?
Bündchen Hired Divorce Attorneys
On October 4, 2022, PEOPLE reported that Bündchen hired divorce lawyers. Bündchen and Brady reportedly had problems after Brady retired and then un-retired from the NFL.
Bündchen took the first step in ending the marriage by meeting with divorce attorneys in Florida.
When a spouse has their first meeting with a divorce attorney, they are either thinking about filing for divorce or they have been served with divorce papers. During the first meeting with a divorce attorney, the spouse begins to make a divorce plan. They review:
- Financial information such as bank statements, credit card statements, account information, tax returns, and loan documents
- Identification for any children involved
- A list of assets and debts
- A timeline of the marriage
- Any prenuptial agreement documentation
From there, the divorce process is usually officially started.
Brady Hired Divorce Attorneys
Just one day after Bündchen hired divorce attorneys, it was reported that Brady did the same. Brady wasn’t served with divorce papers, but he retained his own representation in anticipation of the pending divorce.
If Brady had been served with divorce papers, he would have had 20 days to take the next step. In Florida, after divorce papers are served, you have up to 20 days to file an answer which presents your side of the case.
But, Bündchen didn’t file for divorce on her own or serve Brady with divorce papers. Instead, the couple filed for divorce together.
Related: How to File for Divorce in Florida
Brady and Bündchen Filed for Divorce Together
On October 28, 2022, Bündchen and Brady filed and finalized a petition for the dissolution of marriage together in Florida.
Because Bündchen and Brady filed for divorce together, neither party needed to be served with divorce papers or file an answer. The divorce was considered “uncontested,” and it didn’t need to go through the court system.
Contested divorces, when parties don’t agree on the terms of the divorce, can lead to meditation and even a trial which can take months or even years to resolve. But, Bündchen and Brady avoided the lengthy divorce legal process.
According to reports, their petition for the dissolution of their marriage noted that the couple had “entered into a marital settlement agreement three days earlier,” which is said to have included a “parenting plan.” By having this agreement, the couple was able to file and finalize their divorce on the same day.
The details of their agreement haven’t been revealed publicly, but it’s been speculated that the couple had a prenuptial agreement that made their divorce easier to finalize. The agreement would have included arrangements for:
- Asset and liability distribution. The couple would have had a plan to break up their assets, property, and debt. They would have broken up their wealth and large properties, such as the three homes they own together.
- Alimony. The couple would have determined whether or not one of them would receive spousal support.
- Child support. The couple shares two minor children (Benjamin Rein, 12, and Vivian, 9) and also co-parent Brady’s son with his ex (John Edward, 15). They would need to determine if one party should provide child support payments to the other.
- Child custody. Additionally, the couple would need to determine the type of child custody agreement and set guidelines for how much parenting time each would get with the children.
Had Bündchen and Brady not had a prenuptial agreement, they could have gone through divorce mediation to create an agreement to speed up their divorce. But, it likely would have taken longer than the process set in motion by having a prenup.
Bündchen and Brady were able to quickly get through the divorce process and finalize it within a few months of deciding to split, likely due to having a detailed prenup they agreed upon before they got married in 2009.
Related: How Long Does It Take to Get a Divorce?
Find a Divorce Attorney in Florida
With the right planning and divorce attorney by your side, you can get through your divorce with less stress on everyone involved. If you need advice about how to best navigate an upcoming split, contact TJ Grimaldi today.
TJ can help you determine the best path for you and your family while ensuring that you get what is owed to you. Schedule your free consultation or call 813-226-1023 today to talk with TJ.
TJ Grimaldi joined McIntyre in 2011. McIntyre recruited TJ to create the divisions of personal injury and family law, as well as to expand the existing criminal defense practice at the firm. During TJ’s tenure at McIntyre, he has helped oversee and grow these practice areas. He continues to practice in these divisions while also expanding his own practice areas to include estate planning and immigration law. TJ is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Florida and the United States District Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.
