Not all celebrity couples get the fairy tale ending they were hoping for. I always heard that financial issues are the number one cause of divorce. It may not be the case. The rich may not have to worry about paying the rent but they have other problems that make it hard to stay committed to long-term relationships.
We checked in with Deborah Chames, Family Law Partner at Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine, and one of the Top 5 Marital and Family Law Attorneys of South Florida. According to Chames, “A successful marriage means putting the other person first. If both parties do this, think about how great the marriage could be. If you think the world is only about you, a marriage is not sustainable.”
According to the ex-wife of billionaire Elon Musk, highly successful people “are dyslexic, they are autistic, they have ADD, they are square pegs in round holes, they piss people off, get into arguments, rock the boat.”
Bill Gates & Melinda Gates
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, is the world’s fourth-richest and the most well-known tech billionaires. On May 3, 2021, he announced his divorce from Melinda Gates, his wife of 27 years. In February 2014, Gates announced that he was stepping down as Microsoft’s chairman to focus on charitable work. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the world’s largest private charitable foundation, having amassed an estimated $51 billion in assets, according to CNBC.
Jeff Bezos & Mackenzie Scott
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, divorced his wife MacKenzie Bezos on July 6, 2019. The settlement leaves MacKenzie Bezos with a 4% stake in the online shopping giant worth more than $38 billion, according to Bloomberg, making her the third richest woman. The couple made it clear that it was amicable and they were staying friends.
On January 9, 2019, Bezos tweeted:
“After a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends,” the statement read. “We’ve had such a great life together as a married couple, and we also see wonderful futures ahead, as parents, friends, partners in ventures and projects, and as individuals pursuing ventures and adventures.”
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— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) January 9, 2019
Billionaire tech moguls are one thing. I figured they just work 23 hours a day, are married to their work, and have no time for their families…but what about celebrities? What’s their problem? Why don’t their relationships survive? According to Jason Marks, Shareholder of Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine, “Celebrities get divorced because their personalities and lifestyles limit their ability to engage in an authentic interpersonal relationship with another person for any significant amount of time. Unlike most, the financial impact of a divorce isn’t a primary consideration”
Kim Kardashian & Kanye West
After six years of marriage, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West called it quits. The couple reportedly has $2.1 billion in assets. West is reportedly worth $1.3 billion with most of his assets tied up in his apparel company, Yeezy. Kardashian is supposedly worth $780 million, the bulk of which is tied up in her KKW Beauty. The couple agreed to joint custody in what seemed like an amicable separation, however, ET reported last week that Kardashian was concerned because West has stopped speaking with her directly.
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez
After two years of engagement and four years of dating, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez, South Florida’s power couple, have called it quits. According to an E! News report, rumors of A-Rod’s flirtations with other women were the cause. The pair released a joint statement on April 15, 2021, “We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so, we will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects.” Rumors of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck spending time together in Los Angeles in the last few days hasn’t helped matters. Coincidentally, Affleck and girlfriend Ana de Armas also split recently.
Saweetie & Quavo
Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper, known professionally as Saweetie, and Quavious Keyate Marshall, known professionally as Quavo, are American rappers, singers, and songwriters. In March 2021, their young power couple’s breakup was confirmed.
Less than two weeks after rappers Saweetie and Quavo confirmed their breakup, reports of a 2020 violent exchange in an elevator are being investigated by the LAPD. The two musical artists spoke independently Thursday to TMZ, which had published the disturbing elevator surveillance video. It looks like the rumors of infidelity may not be the only reason for the split.