As you begin your divorce proceedings, you may come to the table with a wide range of emotions and concerns. And while you consider how you will divide your property, your gut might tell you that there is more at stake.
You are probably well aware of many of your marital assets. However, that is not to say you have been informed about all of them. If you feel your spouse has been hiding assets from you, there are some things you can do to help find potential assets your spouse may be hiding.
You can look for clues
Not every marriage ends because someone lied or cheated. But in those instances where there is a high probability of your soon-to-be ex cheating you out of money in a settlement agreement, you might consider doing some investigating. Before you agree to terms, you may want to:
- Be aware of changes in spending habits – Your spouse’s purchases could be evidence of money to which you do not have access. Or, they could be efforts to reduce the amount of money you receive.
- Monitor your bank accounts – You might look for atypical payments or withdrawals, as well as sums of money given to friends or relatives.
- Watch for changes in income or business expenditures – If your spouse did well over the past year but did not receive their bonus, you might wonder why. However, if you are married to a business owner, you might also be suspicious of payments made to new hires whose names you do not recognize.
- See what you can find – By looking through your home and searching online, you could uncover evidence of separate accounts or purchases about which your spouse never told you.
You may also choose to hire a forensic accountant to determine the full extent of your marital assets. Depending on what they find, unveiling the full scope of your marital assets could make their fees worthwhile as you draw your marriage to a close.
