Divorce is never easy. It doesn’t matter how challenging your marriage is or if you knew the divorce was imminent. It’s a difficult experience to encounter in life. The situation can be made much worse if you think that your spouse is hiding assets from you. All assets must be disclosed in a divorce. If any hidden assets are found, things can get even more difficult for you and your spouse.
The most common ways a person tries to hide an asset when going through a divorce is by saying the asset never existed, by transferring the asset to someone else, claiming the debt that isn’t real and making a claim that the asset has been lost.
When a person tries to hide assets, he or she will do everything possible to avoid a paper trail. This means that statements and other documents will not be easy to find. You will need to dig deep into your spouse’s history. This includes looking at old tax returns to find any mention of the hidden assets.
Did you and your spouse utilize safe deposit boxes or safes in your home? If so, be sure to look in these places for any assets your spouse might have placed thereafter the two of you emptied them when you filed for divorce.
Finding hidden assets is not easy. Once you confirm that all assets are accounted for, the divorce process can truly begin.
Finding all of your assets when going through a divorce makes the process easier for all involved. Trying to hide assets from your spouse is never a good idea. If you suspect assets are being hidden from you, make sure you notify your attorney and ask for an investigation.