You will need a lot of information in order to secure a fair divorce. Accurate financial records, tax documents, and an inventory of your assets all play crucial roles in divorce negotiations or litigation.
As you start to gather information before you file for divorce, be on the lookout for the three signs below that there might be hidden assets that you need to track down before you go to court.
Income you did not know about
Financial infidelity involves one spouse hiding financial information from the other. Not disclosing debts or shopping habits is a common form of financial infidelity, but some people will hide their income rather than their spending.
You may not realize until you look over income statements and tax returns that your spouse has been diverting income from your shared accounts, meaning they likely have at least one secret account.
Keys for or information about safety deposit boxes or storage units
Some people hide physical property from their spouses. They might start moving shared assets out of the marital home before divorce in the hope that their spouse doesn’t notice.
They might also use marital income to acquire property that they want to use independently in the future or sell. If you discover that your spouse has a hidden storage space, that might mean that they have assets that they have not disclosed to you.
Missing property or money
Have pieces of your spouse’s jewelry collection seemingly vanished from the house? What about works of art, valuable antique furniture, or memorabilia?
If you notice that your spouse has deposited less money into your joint checking account than normal or has seemingly removed items from your marital home, you need to locate an account for the missing assets or income.
Only when you actually find everything that you share with your spouse can you receive a fair portion of your marital estate. Locating hidden assets is often an important part of preparing for a divorce.