When going through a divorce, assets in the estate are typically divided between both spouses. Unfortunately, some spouses attempt to hide money, investments, and property during this process. If you are considering a divorce, or you and your spouse have talked about the possibility of divorce, you may want to pay close attention to the following warning signs that he or she is hiding assets:
Taking Control of the Finances: If your spouse is taking control of the bank account, including the account information and passwords, he or she may be hiding something from you. Both parties should have access, or at least visibility, to all accounts containing marital money.
Opening a Private Post Office Box: If you suddenly notice that bank statements no longer arrive in the mail anymore, it may be because your spouse has opened a post office box to receive financial statements or has changed the address on the account to a friend, family member, or work location.
Strange Bank Account Activity: If you notice sudden changes in your account activity, such as large withdrawals from the joint account, unusual transactions, or large purchases, it may be a sign that your spouse is hiding assets. In addition, be on the lookout for any sudden password changes, as this could be an indicator that your spouse wants to keep certain transactions hidden.
Large Payments to Family Members and Friends: Your spouse may claim to be loaning money or assets to friends and family when, in reality, they are just giving it to that person to hold, only to retrieve it from him or her after the divorce is finalized.
Foreign Activity: If your spouse makes frequent trips abroad, even for business-related activities, you may want to investigate whether he or she could be hiding money in foreign banks.
Refusing to Provide Income or Bank Information: If your spouse lacks transparency about his or her income or bank account information, it may be a warning sign that he or she is hiding income and/or assets. If you have any reason to believe that your significant other is hiding assets from you, you may want to speak to an experienced family law attorney to help uncover the truth. Contact one of Hatcher Law Group’s experienced family law attorneys today.