When you divorce, each spouse must present a list of the assets they own to the court. This allows the judge to assess how assets should be distributed and make a fair assessment of any need for spousal support.
Unfortunately, some spouses only present a partial list of their assets. They leave some items off the list because they do not want to share them with their spouse.
While most spouses are probably honest, there is no harm in keeping an open mind on the possibility your spouse might have concealed assets. Here are two preliminary checks you can make:
Think about what is right in front of you
Sometimes the best place to hide something is in full public view. Maybe that large statue that your spouse insisted on placing in the middle of your suburban garden is worth a lot more than they let on. They know you hate it and won’t put up a fight to keep it so it may have seemed a great way to hide money. They can sell it for its true value after the divorce. Consider getting someone to value pieces of art or objects that your spouse bought, especially if they are unusual purchases for them.
In their browser history
If your spouse has a habit of closing their laptop or switching to the sports page whenever you approach, you might suspect they’ve been messaging a secret lover. If you can access their browser history, you might discover they’ve actually been cheating on you in a different way. They may have been moving money into cryptocurrency or offshore accounts or finding some other way to move money out of your reach before you divorce.
Sometimes you need to carry out a much more intensive search for assets. Learning more can help protect your rights in a divorce.
