divorce financials

Divorce Financials: Finding Hidden Income

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divorceIt is not unusual for the “out” spouse (the one who is not the major breadwinner in the family and who does not have control over the family’s finances) to suspect that income and assets are being hidden during a divorce.  When one party is accused of hiding income, how can a forensic accountant find it?

Below are a few techniques that I may use to uncover hidden income. A more in-depth discussion of this topic appears in Chapter 9 of my book, Lifestyle Analysis in Divorce, published by the American Bar Association. Continue reading

Divorce Financials: Lifestyle Analysis in Family Law Cases

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This article was originally printed in the ABA Section of Family Law eNewsletter, November 2011.

One of the chief concerns in a divorce or child custody case is identifying the true income of one or both of the parties. It is not unusual for such a case to include allegations of hidden income or assets. It is common for a closely held business to suspiciously encounter declining sales and profits following the filing of a family law case.

In each of these instances, properly determining the income of the party is critical to getting a fair and equitable settlement, maintenance award, or child support award. Until you have the correct numbers, the attorney may find it very difficult to decide what is fair or in the best interest of the client. Continue reading