Nothing is more frustrating than learning that your spouse is hiding assets during the divorce. Usually, this behavior isn’t a big surprise. That doesn’t make it any easier to handle. If you suspect your spouse is hiding or burying assets, you should talk to a Greenville private investigator.
Why Would Your Soon to Be Ex-Spouse Hide Assets?
Common sense dictates that, if you can hide assets, you won’t be forced to split them with your spouse. Even if it unethical and, at times, illegal to do this, it happens all the time. Your Greenville private investigator can beat your spouse at their own game. They can also offer up proof for the court to show that your spouse isn’t playing by the rules.
What Kind of Assets Would Someone Hide?
Some assets are easier to hide than others. It’s not easy to hide 401k money or retirement funds. These things can easily be tracked and traced. However, there are tangible items that are easy to hide. Some of these may include the following:
- Artwork
- Jewelry
- Antiques
- Coin or stamp collections
- Sports or music memorabilia
- Tools and expensive equipment
- Gun collection
Even if you think you know what sort of assets and personal property your spouse owned during the marriage, that doesn’t mean anything. If you can’t prove exactly what they allegedly owned or how much it was worth, it won’t help you. A Greenville private investigator can help track down this information for you.
How Does One Go About Hiding Assets?
There are all sorts of ways to hide assets. If somebody is determined to deceive you, they’ll find a way to do it. As easy as it is to find a Greenville private investigator to locate assets, it’s just as easy to find somebody to help you with hiding assets. Some of the tactics used to hide or bury assets include:
- Make “gifts” to family, friends and business associates – At some point after the divorce, these gifts will find their way back to you.
- Delay or defer bonuses and commissions – Some spouses ask their employer to delay bonuses and commissions until after the divorce is final. At that time, they’ll receive backpay for all of this deferred compensation.
- Pay salaries to ghost employees – If your spouse owns or manages a business, they can pay salaries to fake employees. This money will then reappear after the divorce is resolved.
- Convert cash – Some people convert their cash to traveler’s checks. These checks can then be spent or converted back to cash after the divorce is over.
Your Greenville private investigator can track these transactions and submit documentation to your divorce attorney. This evidence can then be provided to the court to show proof of hidden assets.
Your Greenville Private Investigator Can Track These Assets Down
The good news is that, once your Greenville private investigator can locate these hidden assets, they’ll be included in your divorce papers. When your attorney draws up your property settlement agreement, they can include these newly found assets. Also, you’ll be able to let the family law judge know that your spouse had attempted to hide these assets. Judges won’t take kindly to being deceived. In a case such as this, you may be able to ask that you be reimbursed for your attorney fees, costs and any money spent to locate these assets. There’s never a guarantee that you’ll be awarded these fees, but it is definitely worth a try.
Call a Local Greenville Private Investigator Before It’s Too Late
If you’re going through a difficult divorce, the last thing you want to do is worry about your spouse hiding assets. You work hard throughout your marriage to build a nice life for you and your family. You don’t want to find out that, all along, your spouse has been burying assets, so you don’t get your fair share in the divorce. Rather than let this happen, hire a Greenville private investigator. They can track down these hidden assets and make sure you get what you’re entitled to.
Of course, your divorce attorney can help you do this as well. However, they don’t have the skills or resources that our firm has. With decades of combined experience dealing with these matters, our established firm is able to find hidden or transferred assets for our clients. Call and talk to one of our experts today so you can set up your free consultation.