American billionaire David Geffen has filed for divorce from David Armstrong, his husband of less than two years, citing “irreconcilable differences.” Armstrong, also known as Donovan Michaels, his performer name as a go-go dancer, reportedly met Geffen in 2020 after being hired as his personal trainer. The couple was married in a small, hushed ceremony back in March 2023.
What’s more shocking than Geffen, 82, being 50 years Armstrong’s senior, is that he married Armstrong without a prenuptial agreement (prenup). Geffen, who’s never been previously married, is worth an estimated $8 billion, stemming from his career as a film producer, record executive and media proprietor. An avid art collector, Geffen is also a stout philanthropist who’s pledged to give much of his wealth away to charity. Some of his notable pledges include multi-million-dollar donations to institutions such as the School of Medicine at UCLA and Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, both of which have since been renamed after him.
Many wonder why a man of his stature would risk his fortune by foregoing a prenup. However, it appears that Geffen knew what he was doing all along. “Geffen’s decision not to sign a prenup was both strategic and forward-thinking. California law treats Geffen’s wealth, accumulated before marriage, as separate property,” said Jacqueline Combs, a Los Angeles-based partner in the Matrimonial & Family Law Group at Blank Rome. Geffen, who’s been retired for the past 15 years, doesn’t have much in the way of income that would be considered community property. For example, under California law, Armstrong has no claim to Geffen’s investments from separate accounts or passive income earned, such as dividends.
“Therefore, even without a prenup, he was unlikely to face a substantial payout in a divorce, and by sidestepping potentially contentious negotiations, he avoided the risk of agreeing to a larger financial settlement than legally required while still safeguarding his assets,” explained Combs. Although Geffen will owe spousal support, California law stipulates that the duration of spousal support in short-term marriages (those less than 10 years) is typically half the length of the marriage. In this case, Geffen was married for less than two years, meaning Armstrong would likely be entitled to only one year of payments, “making the total amount a minor expense relative to his net worth—regardless of the couple’s lifestyle,” added Combs.
While significant in some situations, proper estate planning can trump the need for a prenup in certain situations. According to Combs, “For individuals like Geffen, who are retired and have accumulated a significant net worth before marriage, a prenup may not be necessary, as estate-planning provisions—such as where your spouse would live if you predecease them— can be addressed through a well-crafted estate plan.”
So far, all signs point to an amicable split. Initial court filings indicate that Geffen, who hired powerhouse divorce attorney Laura Wasser, will pay Armstrong spousal support and cover his attorney’s fees. It remains to be seen if Armstrong will fire back with any claims or if the notoriously private couple will manage to keep this divorce out of the public eye.