How to Uncover Hidden Assets After Getting a Divorce

It’s somewhat common for an individual to attempt to conceal assets and money before or during divorce in hopes of shielding them from the asset division process. However, doing this is strictly illegal, and it’s important to be diligent to make sure your former spouse is being completely honest about his or her assets.

There are plenty of tools for discovery at your disposal to help ensure you and your divorce attorney account for all marital assets and property. The following are a few of those tools and methods:

• Document demands: Your divorce lawyer may send a legal order to your spouse to have him or her produce tax returns, loan applications, account statements and other types of financial records. This will give you a more accurate look at the amount of money with which you’ll be dealing.
• Inspection demands: Your lawyer may seek permission to inspect safe deposit boxes, safes, locked areas and properties.
• Questioning in writing: Your attorney may use requests for admission or interrogatories to force your former spouse to answer questions in writing or admit certain specific statements. Your ex-spouse is legally required to be truthful in making these written statements.
• Testimony under oath: You, your ex-spouse and your attorney would give an oral deposition in front of a court reporter in this scenario. Your spouse is under legal obligation to tell the entire truth when it comes to the questions your lawyer asks. A failure to do so is considered perjury, which is a felony offense.

For more information and guidance related to the divorce process, speak with a respected family law attorney at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates today.