Most importantly it’s a requirement that all divorcing parties disclose their assets and earnings.  Often, there are allegations of unreported assets and/or income.  Consequently, I use forensic forensic accounting to locate and quantify non-disclosed assets.  In addition, I look for hidden income. 

Primarily, I measure each party’s true economic income, which affects both maintenance.  As a result equitable distribution is often affected by investigative accounting.

Fraud investigation services:

• Business and intellectual property valuations
• Restricted stock and stock option valuations
• Valuing the enhanced earning capacity associated with licenses, degrees, and credentials
• Asset tracing
• Lifestyle analysis
• Income determination
• Preparation of net worth affidavits
• Expert testimony
• Trial assistance including reply reports and analysis
• Review of separation, pre-nuptial, and post-nuptial agreements
• Assistance with cross-examination of opposing experts and parties
• Settlement and tax consulting assistance

Sometimes the dream becomes a nightmare. 

Due to the lead time usually associated with a deteriorating marriage, one or both parties may engage in varying degrees of “divorce planning.”

Tactics may range from setting aside liquid assets to cover necessities during the divorce proceeding.  As a consequence, monies put aside for professional fees and outright fraud.  Primarily, one party’s share of the ultimate financial settlement.

Either spouse may engage in tactics designed to result in a greater monetary award.

Furthermore, only one spouse may be in a moneyed (“independent”) position. As a result, family law practitioners, forensic CPA’s fraud examiners, and forensic accountants should never forget that information received from either party may be intentionally misstated and/or manipulated

Fraud investigation

It’s important to address the issues encountered during the income, or support, aspect of a case. Be cognizant that a spouse may  distraught by the deteriorating marriage.  In other words, he or she is distracted from his or her otherwise lucrative and successful livelihood to the point where income suffers.  However, there may be other reasons for the sudden decline in income available to support the family.  So, it’s necessary to look at the financial representations with a critical eye.  In other words, forensic accounting should be holistic.