????這里有一個很好的理由敦促我們聽取那句古老的格言：不要把工作和生活混雜在一起。那就是，有不少配偶碰巧也是商業伙伴（根據最新的美國人口普查數據，大約370萬家企業屬于這種情況），一旦感情破裂，由此導致的離婚大戰有時候會讓企業置于危險境地。查理?摩爾是舊金山火箭律師公司(Rocket Lawyer)的創始人兼執行董事長，致力于提供婚前協議和企業公司化等事務的在線法律指導。因此，他是討論商業伙伴分手這個話題的理想人選。下面是摩爾就如何減緩離婚對企業的負面影響所提出的一些建議。

????要理性，要學會妥協

????摩爾說：“離婚顯然是一件令人情緒非常激動的事情。雜亂無章的離婚過程有可能玷污品牌，同時對企業與消費者的關系產生負面影響?！甭迳即壍榔骊?Dodgers)前老板弗蘭克?麥考特和妻子的離婚案就是一個備受關注的例子。這起事件進一步削弱了他與球迷的關系，最終還導致他出售了這支棒球隊。在合伙人結婚之前——或者當一位商人打算把未婚妻或未婚夫帶入企業的時候——摩爾建議他們最好簽署一份內容詳實的婚前協議，其中包括如何區分各自的財產，商業合作關系的證明材料，繼任計劃，同時確定雙方在公司扮演的角色。摩爾承認，這類談話往往很難進行，但非常重要，它無異于你在日常生活中給其他什么東西購買保險?！叭绻樗蜎]企業的可能性達到50%，你就需要購買一份洪水保險?！?/p>

????聘請一位獨立的估值師

????離婚時，給企業估值是首先會發生的事情之一。如果合伙人持有的公司股權不均等，公司的價值和采用的估值方法——無論估值的基礎是資產，收入，市場比較，還是折扣法——都有可能成為雙方爭執的話題。摩爾認為，聘請獨立評估師是避免夫妻雙方對公司估值產生分歧的關鍵所在。他說：“主要所有者傾向于估低企業的價值，而非主要合伙人總想估高企業的價值。”

????了解當地的法律

????評估價值時，法庭往往會觀察兩種常見的“信譽”，即“企業信譽”和“個人信譽”。摩爾指出，“個人信譽是某一個合伙人的聲譽或發揮的庇護作用（有時被稱為‘生意名錄’），而企業信譽則是企業整體的聲譽?！泵绹髦輰@兩種信譽的區分方法不盡相同。有些州不作任何區分，同時允許對這兩種信譽估值，而許多州把“個人信譽”排除在外，但考慮“企業信譽”。摩爾說，最起碼應該了解你所處的法律框架：“為了獲得最有利于自己的結果，你的律師和估值師應該就戰略和估值方法達成一致意見，同時密切關注目前的案例，以及有可能影響結果的證據規則和法規。”

????要考慮角色轉變的問題

????配偶進行商業合作的時候，離婚無疑會導致某一方在公司的角色發生變化。許多情況下，一位配偶可能會放棄他或她在公司的董事席位，以及高管或合伙人身份。所以，想出一個過渡方式是離婚過程不可或缺的一部分。“如果配偶一方有了一個新角色，為防止日后發生爭執，就必須明確界定（潛在地限制）他或她在公司的決策權，”摩爾說?！安还苣阕鍪裁?，必須以務實的態度估計你們未來一起共事的能力。”最重要的是，為了不干擾企業的正常運營，正在辦理離婚手續的夫妻必須非常仔細地規劃未來的工作關系。

????做到公開透明

????在很多離婚案件中，夫妻往往不愿意開誠布公地透露自己持有的資產數量或企業的價值。最常見的隱藏資產方式是償還虛假債務，或把現金轉化為諸如藝術品和珠寶這類“可移動的財產”?！扒f不要試圖隱藏資產，或者做任何與個性不符的事情，比如花費突然暴增或改變商業模式，”摩爾警告說?！斑@樣做會給法庭發送一個危險信號，有可能讓你的公司處于危險境地，或者讓你面臨巨額罰款?！保ㄘ敻恢形木W）

????譯者：葉寒

????Here's one good reason to heed the old adage about not mixing business with pleasure: When spouses who happen to be business partners--and there are a lot of them; 3.7 million businesses according to most recent U.S. Census data--divorce, the drama and emotion of the situation can sometimes put the business at risk. Charley Moore is founder and executive chairman of San Francisco-based Rocket Lawyer, which provides online legal guidance on matters ranging from prenuptial agreements to incorporating businesses--making him an ideal resource on the subject of business and breakups. Here are his tips for easing the transition of divorce when business is at stake.

????Be rational and compromise

????"Divorce is obviously a very emotional thing, and a messy divorce can tarnish the brand and affect relationships with your consumers," Moore says. A high-profile example was the divorce of former L.A. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and his wife, which further eroded his relationship with the fan base and ultimately led to him selling the team. Before partners wed--or if a businessperson aims to bring his or her fiancee into the business--Moore recommends a thorough prenuptial agreement that includes establishment of separate property, documentation of the business partnership, a succession plan and identifying what the roles each future spouse plays in the company. Moore admits these are hard conversations, but important ones, no different than getting insurance for anything else in your life: "If there is a 50/50 chance you could lose your business in a flood, you buy flood insurance."

????Hire an independent appraiser

????During a divorce, business valuation is one of the first things to happen. When partners are not equal owners or stakeholders in a company, the value of the company and the valuation method used – whether it is based on assets, income, market comparisons and discounts taken – can all be disputed between the parties. Moore argues that hiring an independent appraiser is crucial to avoid a disagreement on the value of the company. "The primary business owner, he or she will argue to lower the value of the business while the non-primary partner will want to raise it," he says.

????Know the local law

????There are two common types of "goodwill" jurisdictions will look at when assessing value: "enterprise" and "personal goodwill." "Personal goodwill is the reputation or patronage of an individual partner in the business (sometimes called a 'book of business') and enterprise goodwill is the reputation of the business as a whole," Moore notes. States vary in how they distinguish between the two types. Some don't make any distinction between the two and allow for both to have a valuation, while many exclude "personal goodwill" but include "enterprise goodwill." The bottom line, Moore says, is to know what legal framework you're working with: "To maximize your results, your attorney and your business appraiser should agree on strategy and valuation methods, while keeping an eye on current cases, evidentiary rules and statutes that could affect the outcome."

????Think about role transition

????When spouses have worked together, a divorce will undoubtedly require a changing of the roles in the company. In many cases a spouse may relinquish his or her position as a board member, executive or partner in the company and figuring out a transition is part of the divorce process. "If the spouse has a new role, it's essential to clearly define (and potentially limit) the spouse's decision-making powers in the company, in order to prevent future disputes," Moore says. "Whatever you do, be realistic about the ability to work together in the business." Above all, Moore believes couples going through a divorce must plan the future working relationship very carefully, so as to not disrupt the business.

????Be transparent

????In many divorce cases, spouses will be less than truthful about the amount of assets they're holding or the worth of their business. Some of the most common methods of hiding assets are paying off fake debts or converting cash into "mobile property" like art, jewelry and hobbies. "Never try to hide assets or do anything out of character, like a sudden surge of spending or changing your business model," Moore warns. "This will send a red flag in court, and you jeopardize your company or face steep fines."