The Real Housewives of Miami star Alexia Nepola’s third husband, Todd Nepola, filed for divorce earlier this month — but what happens next?
For many Hollywood splits, there’s a “presumption that everything is part of the community [and] split 50/50,” attorney Neama Rahmani exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, April 17, noting that those cases usually involved California residents.
That premise is “not the case in Florida,” which is where Alexia, 56, and Todd, 51, reside.
The Bravo vet and her soon-to-be ex are considered individuals when it comes to their property because of their location.
Alexia Nepola and Todd Nepola Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
“[The] Florida presumption is that everything’s held by a spouse individually [as] separate property that is their own,” Rahmani explained. “In the event of a divorce, they get to keep it.”
When it comes to Alexia and Todd’s divorce, it will come down to whether the assets were held jointly together or held separately. “That’s going to decide what Alexia gets and what they’re get,” the lawyer told Us.
What makes this split even more complicated is that Alexia and Todd might not own their Florida property. (As seen on season 6, the couple abruptly moved from a 10,000 square-foot penthouse rental to a 4,000 square foot apartment costing $45,000 a month.)
“If it’s a rental, then obviously the home isn’t going to be split or stolen or anything like that,” Rahmani surmised. “[If] they’re both on the lease then they’re both on the lease regardless of whether they’re married or not.”
He noted that the estranged couple will both be “on the hook” in terms of the rental lease.
“When it comes to the other assets, cars, bank accounts, you [have] to do that accounting to see [who gets what],” Rahmani said. “It’s really called tracing.”
The attorney explained that a family law judge will have to determine, “What is the source of the funds? Is it my separate property that’s going through an account, in which the money comes to me in the event of a divorce? Is it my separate property but I just commingle it? Or is that gifted to a spouse such that it ends up being shared?”
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Beauty salon owner Alexia and real estate broker Todd tied the knot in 2021 after several years of dating. Us confirmed on Thursday, April 11, that Todd filed for divorce in the state of Florida. He alleged in court documents that the marriage was “irretrievably broken.”
While Todd has remained silent about the split, Alexia broke her silence on Monday, April 15.
“I am shocked and heartbroken that Todd has chosen to dissolve our marriage,” Alexia wrote via her Instagram Stories. “I will take comfort in the fact that my friends and family will be by my side supporting me during this difficult time.”
Us later confirmed that the pair entered into a prenuptial agreement on December 10, 2021, days before their rescheduled wedding in St. Barth’s.
According to court documents obtained by Us on Tuesday, April 16, the agreement helped Alexia and Todd address “all of their financial issues.”
Ahead of her relationship with Todd, Alexia was married to Peter Rosselo Sr. from 1992 to 1996. The exes share sons Peter, 31, and Frankie, 26. Alexia moved on with Herman Echevarria in 2004. They parted ways in 2015, one year before Echevarria died.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi