When any marriage begins to fall apart, especially those with significant assets, it is easy for distrust to become a factor in the divorce process. Many people believe that their spouse is trying to cheat them out of a fair divorce settlement by hiding assets.
Whether this is true or not, it certainly hangs a heavy storm cloud over the entire divorce process, which is often already frustrating enough. In these cases, it is often wise to consult with an attorney who can help you create a fair strategy for ensuring that your spouse does not hide assets (or, in some cases, simply waste them).
If you suspect your spouse of hiding assets, now is the time to get more professional, not more emotional. Not only will a proper approach help you fairly identify misused or hidden assets, it helps build your credibility to a court if and when one must step in and make a ruling on the matter.
Build a team that understands your situation
Hiding money in a divorce is not only unethical, it can also land someone in trouble with the law. While you may feel tempted to steer the conflict in a confrontational direction, you should consider leaning into legal avenues to achieve your goals.
A skilled attorney retains a number of tools to identify questionable financial behavior. In most cases, money does not simply disappear. With some persistence (possibly the help of a forensic accountant) a good divorce lawyer can identify if something is rotten in Denmark, monetarily speaking.
It is also possible to use the law to compel your spouse to give sworn testimonies about his or her financial disclosures, which you can use in court against them.
Avoid retaliatory behavior
Even if your spouse is actually unfairly hiding assets, you should not retaliate. Few things look worse to a divorce judge than one spouse accusing the other spouse of unethical or illegal behavior and then proceeding to engage in a different set of unethical or illegal behaviors.
This is not to say that you should simply roll over whenever your spouse behaves badly, but rather that you should carefully consider the full ramifications of your actions and listen to wise counsel to protect your self in the big picture.
The guidance of an experienced lawyer can help you identify safe ways to push back against your spouse’s disappointing behavior while keeping yourself legally above reproach and protecting your rights throughout the course of the divorce.
