How to Find Out if My Spouse is Hiding Assets or Income During Divorce?

Can My Spouse is Hiding Assets or Income During Divorce?

In a divorce case, it is not uncommon for one party to try to hide assets or income in an effort to reduce the amount of property or support that must be divided or paid. Experienced family law attorneys may use various strategies to identify and locate hidden assets or income in a divorce case.

If you suspect that your spouse is hiding assets or income during your divorce, it is important to gather as much financial information as possible. This may include reviewing bank statements, tax returns, and other financial documents.

You may also consider hiring a forensic accountant or investigator to help uncover any hidden assets or income.

It is important to work with an experienced divorce attorney who can advise you on the best course of action to take in your specific situation.

A divorce attorney may use one or multiple methods to investigate your spouse’s income and assets, including:

• Examining your spouse’s financial records
• Conducting discovery
• Hiring experts to assist if necessary like forensic accountants
• Examining tax documents and income statements
• Investigating purchases and assets that may be hidden

Your attorney will review your spouse’s financial records

Attorneys may request financial records such as bank statements, tax returns, and investment accounts to identify any assets or income that may not have been disclosed.  Parties are also required to file financial statements in each case.

If what they report and what is deposited are not lining up, you should probably do some more digging and see why that is happening.

Your divorce attorney will conduct discovery

Attorneys may use discovery tools, such as interrogatories (written questions) or depositions (testimony given under oath), to gather information about the parties’ assets and income.

You can also get records from financial institutions, employers, or other sources to find hidden assets and income.

Your attorney will hire experts to assist with things like forensic accounting

Attorneys may hire experts, such as forensic accountants, to examine the parties’ financial records and identify any assets or income that may have been hidden.

You can also use vocational experts (experts who will testify that the person is intentionally un or underemployed) involved if you think they are intentionally not making as much as they should be to keep child support or maintenance lower than it should be.

Your attorney may use additional investigating techniques

Experienced family law attorneys may also use other investigative techniques, such as checking public records or reviewing social media accounts, to gather information about the parties’ assets and income.

You should also be aware that Missouri allows recordings to be used so long as one party involved in the conversation is aware it is being recorded.

How do I know if my attorney will be able to thoroughly investigate my spouse’s assets?

It’s important to note that these are just a few examples of the strategies that experienced attorneys may use to find hidden assets or income in a divorce case.

The specific strategies used will depend on the individual circumstances of the case and the resources available to the attorney.  Not everyone can afford in-depth investigations and hiring someone who knows where to look and what to look for can save you thousands.

If you are involved in a divorce case and believe that your spouse may be hiding assets or income, it’s a good idea to seek the guidance of an experienced family law attorney to help you protect your rights