Serial entrepreneur Elon Musk co-founded the popular payment website PayPal, although people in California might be familiar with his more recent endeavors of SpaceX and Tesla motors. He and his wife Talulah Riley are apparently all set to start divorce proceedings, but this is not their first dealing with family law. The couple previously divorced and then remarried.
Musk and Riley’s more recent marriage lasted approximately two and a half years, although it might not have been all marital bliss. Not only have the couple reportedly been separated for six months, but they filed and then withdrew a divorce petition in 2014. This all followed their 2012 divorce after an original two years of marriage, although they were remarried soon after.
Riley filed the more recent divorce petition, which the couple say they agreed upon. Irreconcilable differences are cited as the reason for their divorce, but both say that they decision to end the marriage was mutual and that they intend on remaining friends. However, Riley has requested that Musk pay her spousal support following their split. The couple might not have a prenuptial agreement as none was mentioned in the original divorce filing.
Although Riley is an actress who has appeared in popular films and even directed a feature film of her own, spousal support is not necessarily a surprising request. Musk’s various business ventures likely mean that he greatly out-earns his soon-to-be ex-wife. According to California family law, the absence of a prenuptial agreement that states otherwise, a spouse who earns far less than his or her ex is typically entitled to spousal support during the transition period after a divorce.
Source: Fox News, “Elon Musk’s wife files to divorce billionaire“