How do you demand half of the marital assets if you don’t know what they are?
It’s a common problem. If you’re lucky, your spouse will be honest and own up to whatever he or she has hidden. More often, however, you’ll have to work to find proof of those assets that your spouse has tucked away somewhere in order to get your fair share.
Here are some tips to start:
Get copies of all your tax returns
Your spouse may have been willing to lie to you about your assets during the marriage, but would he or she lie to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as well? A lot of people wouldn’t risk it. If you’ve always allowed your spouse to handle the finances and taxes, there could be gold mine of information right there on the tax forms. They’re also a source of information for hidden offshore accounts.
Look for county and state property transfers
Property and other assets have a strange habit of transferring ownership right around the time a couple starts having serious marital trouble. Look through county and state records — many of which are available online — for deed transfers. Look back to the point where your marriage started to deteriorate.
Look for records in variations of your name and your spouse’s name
Hidden assets often show up under aliases that are close to a couple’s real names. You might find property listed under maiden names, nicknames and with or without middle initials.
Look for accounts and other assets in your children’s names
It isn’t unusual for a spouse to hide money or property under a minor child’s name. You should be particularly suspicious if there are tax returns for your unemployed minor.
Check the town or county registry for real estate trusts
Real estate trusts and deed conveyances are recorded in local offices everywhere. Don’t just check in your local area, however. If your spouse makes frequent trips to another area, check those record offices as well.
If you’re having trouble locating the information you need, remember that an attorney can often speed the process along with a few well-placed subpoenas. Finding hidden assets during a divorce can be a challenge — but it’s one that has been met successfully time and again!
Source: howtoinvestigate.com, “Learn How To Locate Hidden Assets – Be Your Own Detective,” accessed April 04, 2018
