When you go through a divorce, division of assets often serves as one of the most difficult parts. This process alone can take weeks or even months of your time depending on the complexities of your assets.
Of course, you can also run into additional troubles if your spouse does not cooperate easily – or worse still if they attempt to hide assets.
What are hidden assets?
The Financial Dictionary discusses hidden assets and how they may apply to you. Hidden assets refer to instances where a spouse hides some of their assets from you and the court in an attempt to avoid dividing it. This can include different sources of income, property, savings plans and more.
Look for changes in behavior
There are many red flags that may point to hidden assets, but changes in your spouse’s behavior will often pave the way for the rest. First, you may notice them behaving in a furtive, secretive way about their financial matters. For example, they may refuse to share any financial information with you even if it has no real impact, like receipts.
They may also begin refusing to cooperate in sharing financial information such as bank statements, forcing you to rely on an affidavit to force them into compliance.
Generally speaking, if they suddenly take a turn for the secretive, it is likely because they have something to hide. If you suspect they are hiding assets, consider speaking to legal help who can work with a forensic financial analyst. This way, you can start digging deep and finding the evidence you need to gain your rightful share of assets.