Valerie Bertinelli Lost A Ton Of Money In Her Divorce From Tom Vitale
Valerie Bertinelli lost a significant portion of her wealth in her divorce from Tom Vitale. The Food Network star made headlines when she filed for legal separation from Vitale in November 2021, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their split. She then filed a petition seeking for the dissolution of their marriage in May 2022. She and the financial planner had been married for over a decade and shared four children from Vitale's previous marriage. They first met back in 2004, shortly after Bertinelli split from her first husband — the late rocker Eddie Van Halen — with whom she shares her son Wolfgang Van Halen.
After six years together, she and Vitale announced their engagement in May 2010, with the pair tying the knot in their Malibu home on New Year's Day in 2011. In a statement to People (via Today) about their separation, Bertinelli explained that she and Vitale had simply grown apart. "Tom and I have been pulling apart for the last few years," she said. "I wish him the best, and I know he feels the same way about me."
After finalizing their divorce in November 2022, the "One Day At A Time" alum took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate the momentous occasion, describing it as the "second best day of my life" perhaps next to the birth of her son. "My lawyer just called. The papers are all signed. They're about to be filed," she said in the video. "I am officially f****** divorced. Happily divorced. Finally. It's finally over." Here's everything we know about Bertinelli and Vitale's costly divorce.
Valerie Bertinelli paid $2.2 million to walk away from her marriage
The divorce between Valerie Bertinelli and her husband Tom Vitale proved to be quite expensive for the "Hot in Cleveland" star. People reports that Bertinelli ended up losing a good chunk of her wealth after the pair finalized their divorce in November 2022. In legal documents obtained by the magazine, Bertinelli agreed to pay her ex-husband $2.2 million "in full, final, and complete settlement and satisfaction of any and all claims between them." The outlet added that neither she nor Vitale was granted spousal support as "set forth in the prenuptial agreement" that the couple signed prior to their marriage.
Per PageSix, this amount is on top of the half-million dollars that Bertinelli already paid her ex during their divorce proceedings on May 24, 2022. Under the terms of their agreement, Vitale was also ordered to move out of Bertinelli's Malibu home by the end of the year "so long as she has paid him the sum of what he's owed." If not, he can stay in the house without any rental obligations to Bertinelli.
Amid the divorce proceedings, the "Valerie's Home Cooking" star decided to put her sprawling Hollywood Hills mansion up for sale for $2.5 million in August 2022. She also got rid of her Tiffany wedding rings and the Jimmy Choo platforms she wore to her wedding by selling them through a luxury consignment store that late September. Not that she needed the money, of course; Celebrity Net Worth has estimated Bertinelli to have an impressive net worth of $20 million as of 2024. Not too shabby, eh?
Valerie Bertinelli has sworn off marriage
Valerie Bertinelli's marriage to Tom Vitale has proven to be quite an expensive lesson for the actor. While speaking to Hoda Kotb on "Today" in June 2022, the 63-year-old star said she has no plans to walk down the aisle ever again. "I am gonna be more than happy to be happily divorced and spend the rest of my life alone," she said. "I'll be happy that way. Well, with my six cats and my dog and my son — and hopefully one day grandchildren."
When asked whether she intends to date soon, Bertinelli reiterated her stance by saying, "Oh, God no." She admitted that the breakdown of her marriage to Vitale has left her with "some trust issues" that she needed to work on. "Because of the challenges that I'm going through right now, because divorce sucks. I can't imagine ever trusting anyone again to let into my life," she said.
Of course, the "Touched by an Angel" alum did risk romance again when getting into a relationship with writer Mike Goodnough. Unfortunately, that pairing didn't pan out either, with Bertinelli and Goodnough tragically splitting up in November 2024. Here's hoping that if she wants to put herself out there again, Bertinelli can find the lasting relationship she's been looking for during her complicated love life.