What Are the Most Common Signs of Financial Fraud in a Divorce?

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When you are getting a divorce, everybody has to be upfront about their assets so that the court can equitably distribute property and ensure that each spouse is fairly treated. When one person engages in financial fraud in an effort to keep a larger slice of your marital assets, that needs to be addressed. A York County, PA divorce attorney from our firm can help you spot signs of fraud and ensure that your spouse is not trying to beat the system.

What Are Some Common Indicators of Financial Fraud?

You can keep an eye out for financial red flags before and after the divorce proceedings begin. There are many ways to hide assets, shift them around, and otherwise commit financial fraud in broad daylight. However, if you pay attention and look out for odd behaviors like the following, you might be able to catch your spouse doing something sketchy.

Your spouse is controlling: If your spouse tries to restrict your access to certain accounts or otherwise tries to have an iron fist when it comes to finances, that is suspicious. They could be hiding something.

Your spouse is secretive: Maybe you do get a look at some transactions and you have some questions, but your spouse won’t answer them. That secretive behavior is another red flag.

You are asked to sign documents: If your spouse is forcing you to sign things that you do not understand or get the chance to read, that is suspicious.

Your spouse has an expensive habit, like gambling: A spouse with a gambling problem or drug addiction could be less likely to be forthright with their financial disclosures.

Some assets have disappeared: Maybe some expensive things that you owned with your spouse have disappeared without explanation. Your spouse may have sold them and stowed away the cash.

What Should I Do If I Suspect Fraud?

First, you need to gather up all of the paperwork that you can. Grab statements from any accounts that you know about, including checking accounts, savings accounts, credit cards, and investment accounts. Then bring them to your attorney and have them look over everything.

Your lawyer can then ask for other documentation through the discovery process. This means that if your spouse has paperwork for other accounts that you do not know about, you may be able to secure the necessary evidence through this process.

If your lawyer is still unsure if fraud has been committed, you do have another option. We can use the services of a forensic accountant to comb through your spouse’s finance to look for any discrepancies. The services of a forensic accountant can be expensive, but they might be able to come close to paying for themselves if you can catch your spouse committing financial fraud.

Schedule an Appointment With Our Divorce Attorneys

If you are looking for the best way to protect yourself and your assets during a divorce, contact Ilkhanoff & Silverstein to schedule a consultation. We can tell you more about how our law firm can assist you in this stressful time.

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