Ben Affleck And Jennifer Lopez’s Divorce Is Reportedly 'Messy' Due To Multiple Assets At Stake

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's divorce is reportedly very complicated by the lack of a prenuptial agreement, which makes their assets community property.

These assets include Affleck's production company, Artists Equity, and Lopez's business ventures, such as her alcohol line, Delola.

Despite the potentially messy division of assets, Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck on August 20 without legal representation, signaling her determination to move forward.

According to TMZ,  Lopez and Affleck's divorce is proving to be both "messy" and "very complicated" since the couple didn't have a prenuptial agreement, making everything they accumulated during their nearly two-year marriage "community property."

This means that Lopez and Affleck will need to disclose their separate assets, and their community property needs to be split evenly in the divorce.

Among the many assets reportedly at stake is Affleck's production company, Artists Equity (AE), which he co-founded with his longtime friend, actor Matt Damon, in November 2022, just four months after getting married to Lopez.

Damon, a major stakeholder in AE, could also be dragged into the court battle.

Since Affleck's company was formed after his marriage to Lopez, his share could be classified as community property.

Therefore, the "Atlas" actress would have a right to a portion of the profits from Artist Equity's recent and future blockbuster films, including "Air," "The Instigators," and the upcoming movie, "Unstoppable," which stars Lopez.

On the other hand, Affleck would also be entitled to Lopez's high-profile projects such as "Shotgun Wedding," "The Mother," and "Atlas."

Affleck's production company, Artists Equity, notably produced her "This Is Me... Now: A Love Story" movie and its accompanying documentary, "The Greatest Love Story Never Told. "

Affleck also has Lopez's business ventures, such as her low-calorie alcohol line Delola, launched in 2023, to gain from when it comes to splitting up assets.

The couple co-owns a 38,000-square-foot estate in Beverly Hills, which was on the market for $68 million in July. However, with a $20 million mortgage on the property, buyers haven't shown much interest yet.

Despite the lack of a prenuptial agreement, attorney legal expert Marilyn Chinitz noted that it is possible that the couple secured their assets differently.

"The only time that you see people not having a prenup is when they've put most of their assets in trust for their children, and those trusts have been established and they wouldn't be part of the community," Chinitz told People Magazine.

Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck on August 20, ending their marriage after less than two years.

According to documents obtained by the news outlet, Lopez, who filed the paperwork on her own, without a lawyer, in Los Angeles County Superior Court, listed their separation date as April 26 and cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the breakup.

In her filing, Lopez did not request spousal support. The singer also noted that their attorney's fees would be split and asked for her last name to be restored.

Chinitz commented on Lopez's decision to file for divorce from Affleck without legal representation.

The attorney speculated that the "Shotgun Wedding" actress most "likely just wanted to get this done, [that] there was a lot of hesitation and hemming and hawing back and forth, and it's a statement, 'I'm moving forward, I'm filing and I'm doing it on my own.'"

Chinitz also shared that the couple might be working with a mediator during the divorce proceedings.

She further noted that Lopez's action signifies her determination to proceed with the divorce, with or without legal counsel.

After Lopez kicked off their divorce process, a source close to the singer claimed that their troubled marriage was due to a multitude of issues that ultimately led to its demise, even though they managed to cover it.

"He was impossible to be married to," the insider told the Daily Mail. "Friends think he is selfish, sullen, impossible to please most of the time, and negative."

They added, "She was constantly trying to lift his spirits, and boost him up – it was exhausting. He is a loudmouth, loves to hear himself talk, and blusters on. She was a great audience, mostly she hung onto his every word, but she is not as young and impressionable as she used to be."

Lopez's filing, which she made without a lawyer, stated the date of her separation from Affleck as April 26.