# So, $43 million is not enough divorce settlement? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 19, 2009, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007 "2009-03-19T10:07:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/1 "2009-03-19T10:07:56Z")
The greed of people does not surprise me, but it saddens me. [Story.](http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=788352) Part: Douglas-David has filed court papers showing she has more than $US53,800 ($A79,024.68) in weekly expenses, which include maintaining a Park Avenue apartment and three residences in Sweden. Her weekly expenses also include $US700 ($A1,028.2) for limousine service, $US4,500 ($A6,609.87) for clothes, $US1,000 ($A1,468.86) for hair and skin treatments, $US1,500 ($A2,203.29) for restaurants and entertainment, and $US8,000 ($A11,750.88) for travel. I would love her to see how people living on the breadline make do with slightly less than that. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/2 "2009-03-19T13:26:25Z")
Her greed is insane, but not much more then her husband’s. How come HE has so much disposable income? ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/3 "2009-03-19T14:41:56Z")
I’ve never understood this whole idea of “maintaining your lifestyle” or whatever it’s called. You were able to survive just fine before you married rich, I’m sure you can do it again. ---
**Author:** ![Marienee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Marienee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marienee)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/4 "2009-03-19T15:25:46Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > Her greed is insane, but not much more then her husband’s. How come HE has so much disposable income? He has a job that pays a lot? He inherited large chunks of change? Either is a possibility. Which of those makes him greedy? ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/5 "2009-03-19T15:58:21Z")
**Four thousand dollars a week on clothes???** I don’t think I’ve spent four thousand dollars on clothes in my _entire life_! ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/6 "2009-03-19T16:08:40Z")
> [@Marienee](#): > > He has a job that pays a lot? He inherited large chunks of change? Either is a possibility. Which of those makes him greedy? If he is or was a CEO, he pretty much can name his own salary and bonuses. That’s what all the outrage was about with stories of “top men” competing with each other who had the bigger [del]pen[/del]bonus, right? It seems to me that if her husband has enough money to get such a trophy wife, and the divorce negotiations are about such numbers, he also has succeded in getting more money than he can find a sensible use for. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/7 "2009-03-19T16:35:47Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > I’ve never understood this whole idea of “maintaining your lifestyle” or whatever it’s called. You were able to survive just fine before you married rich, I’m sure you can do it again. I could understand the need to fund a transition period involving breaking out of leases, ending memberships, and quitting expensive habits that were part of the marriage, but otherwise, no. If she’s unable to adapt to a normal first-world lifestyle like I have on _less than 1/500th the annual income_, and even that’s way more than lots of people in the world get by quite happily on, then she’s weak and a prisoner of her desire for wealth. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/8 "2009-03-19T17:05:50Z")
At the very least, I don’t think she should get a cent more than that $43 million. The first rule of contracts is that you don’t break the fucking contract as soon as you think you can do better, and I know of no reason why a postnuptual agreement should be any different. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/9 "2009-03-19T19:02:09Z")
Boo hoo hoo. At her current spending rate the $43 mil would only last her 16 years. Here’s an idea, lady, change your spending. The gravy train ended. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/10 "2009-03-19T19:47:17Z")
That 16 year figure doesn’t seem to figure in interest. Invested at only 5% per year she should be able to live on the income alone. $53,000/wk - welcome to the world of the ex-trophy wife. StG ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/11 "2009-03-19T20:07:42Z")
I have very clearly gone about this entire “life” thing all wrong. What on earth made me think it was a good idea to make my own money, with the notion that it would be the only money I’d ever be entitled to? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/12 "2009-03-19T20:19:19Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > I’ve never understood this whole idea of “maintaining your lifestyle” or whatever it’s called. You were able to survive just fine before you married rich, I’m sure you can do it again. Unless they were supported by Dad before getting married. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/13 "2009-03-19T23:55:38Z")
Forget about the absurd sums - we are mere mortals and don’t have any sense of those kinds of amounts. For these people - that’s the world they live in. It’s the same as hearing about someone in an African village who lives on one dollar a month, we just don’t have the perspective. To me this falls into the same category as highly paid sports figures going on strike. The money is there, they are just trying to get their share of the pie. This women in just trying to get her share of a very big pie. Let’s say she has worked out the she deserves 10% (WAG) of the pie. Now, the pie is so large that 10% works out to $43 million, good for her! The real debate should be focused on the % figure. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/14 "2009-03-20T00:41:16Z")
I’d be willing to divorce him for half that. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/15 "2009-03-22T01:20:02Z")
That’s just insane. I could live the rest of my life very comfortably on $43 million, and probably have some left over to pass on to my family when i die. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/16 "2009-03-22T01:48:34Z")
I don’t think y’all realize just how much it costs to have a virtuoso musician follow her wherever she goes continuously playing plaintive melodies on the world’s smallest Stradivarius violin. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/17 "2009-03-22T19:03:59Z")
> [@anya\_marie](#): > > That’s just insane. I could live the rest of my life very comfortably on $43 million, and probably have some left over to pass on to my family when i die. Me too. This is how I figure it- with conservative investment, let’s say I make 5% interest on my $43 million each year- that’s just over $2 million per year. If I can live on 1% of that interest, that’s $400,000 per year, which will do me just fine. So in principle, that original $43 million won’t ever be touched, and I’ll be adding to it every year with the 4% interest I won’t spend. I think my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be provided for adequately. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/18 "2009-03-23T00:31:22Z")
> [@EJsGirl](#): > > Me too. This is how I figure it- with conservative investment, let’s say I make 5% interest on my $43 million each year- that’s just over $2 million per year. If I can live on 1% of that interest, that’s $400,000 per year, which will do me just fine. > > So in principle, that original $43 million won’t ever be touched, and I’ll be adding to it every year with the 4% interest I won’t spend. I think my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be provided for adequately. > > 🙂 Er… Ah … Well, yeah, it is a lot of money but… Your math… er… … ah … 43,000,000 X .05 (5%) = 2,150,000/ year. 400,000 is 18.6% of 2,150,000. But… taxes… er … ah … Still a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/19 "2009-03-23T00:43:09Z")
Oh well crap, either I misstate it or I fuck up the math- one will surely happen! 😃 1% of $43 million is about $400,000, right? That’s what I meant… Then I still won’t ever touch the principal, ideally… ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007/20 "2009-03-23T00:47:06Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > Her greed is insane, but not much more then her husband’s. How come HE has so much disposable income? His income is not the issue. Just think of the limo driver, the hair salon, the couture clothing retailer, her travel agents…all those poor working stiffs would suffer if suddenly all the rich people disappeared in a puff of smoke. She can demand all she wants. Whether or not she gets it is another matter. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-43-million-is-not-enough-divorce-settlement/490007.md?page=2)