If you are an artist going through a divorce in Illinois, you may be concerned about what will happen to your artwork. Whether you are a composer, painter, sculptor or work with any other medium, assigning value and determining cost can make this one of the trickiest aspect of your case. We at the Law office of Kerley and Associates have experience helping clients divide many forms of property and can help you with the difficult task of dividing your artwork.
If you have any copyrights or royalties on pieces created while you were married, The Huffington Post states that you will need to include these in your settlement. Your ex-spouse may have a right to part of any payments you receive on them, even if it happens in the future. You may be able to negotiate for full ownership during your case to avoid splitting fees after your marriage is dissolved.
You will also need to make a list of any pieces you have created, even if they are not yet completed. While you can get an appraisal for many works that are finished, it can be difficult to determine value on unfinished pieces. In most cases, you will be required to split the fees for any creations that were made during the marriage, even if they sell in the future.
Failing to disclose all assets can be a punishable offense, which is why it is important to make a full and complete inventory of any current pieces as well as ones you sold in the past. This information is educational and should not be taken as legal advice.