Cal Worthington to receive $229K from wife, judge rules

Used-car magnate Cal Worthington will receive a $229,339 payment from his wife Anna after a judge ordered her to repay the money, the value of a bank account she reportedly took during the couple's marriage. The judge also established how the couple will divide their $3 million home. Anna, 41, filed for divorce from Cal, 91, after eight months of marriage.

The judge agreed with Anna's claim that the couple's home constitutes community property, entitling her to half of the proceeds resulting from its sale. Unlike the Worthingtons' home state, Georgia does not require judges to divide any assets acquired during a couple's marriage equally between divorcing spouses. However, Georgia courts still distinguish between separate and marital property, as state law stipulates that court must divide property in a fair and equitable manner, though they are not bound by set formulas or rules.

According to the judge's decision, the couple will split any money received from the sale of their home and its furnishing, minus any costs incurred by the sale and subsequent deliveries. Cal Worthington will receive reimbursement for the home's down payment and the price of any improvements after the remaining balance on the property's mortgage is paid off.

Additionally, any portion of the $229,339 that Anna fails to pay to Cal will automatically be deducted from her stake of the sale's proceeds and transferred to him. Cal's attorney argued that Anna took the sum from a joint account she shared with her husband and placed it into private accounts, though Anna's attorney contended that her spending was never restricted. Cal's attorney also argued that a prenuptial agreement signed by both parties limits Anna to a total of $30,000 in alimony payments.

Cal Worthington became famous for his successful chain of used car dealerships and his long-running series of TV commercials involving exotic animals. He married Iceland-born jazz singer Anna Mjöll Ólafsdóttir in April 2011.

Source: ABC7, "Judge rules on Cal Worthington divorce division of assets," Dec. 11, 2012