A client recently came to us requesting that we file divorce paperwork on her behalf. Her husband owned his own business and was earning a salary that was much higher than hers. During the marriage, the husband controlled all of the finances and made investments in many properties without the knowledge of our client. It can be difficult to obtain a fair divorce settlement if your spouse is hiding assets from you.

Our client did not know what to do as she knew that her husband had invested large sums of community income, but she had no idea where any of this documentation or evidence was. Our client turned to us to file her divorce paperwork and try to discover exactly what she was entitled to under the law.

Use Discovery and Financial Experts if Your Spouse is Hiding Assets

In any divorce case that involves the division of property, it is important that your lawyer demand that the other party produce copies of all financial records and documents in a timely manner. Under California law, each party must make certain financial disclosures as to all of the community and separate property that is a result of, or was acquired during the marriage.

In some more complex divorce cases where one spouse believes that the other is hiding assets or community property, it becomes necessary to utilize a forensic accountant to ensure that you are protected. A good forensic accountant will have the tools and knowledge to do the following:

• Place a value on a family business;
• Determine monthly cash flow of the other party;
• Trace property to determine what is community property and what is separate property; and
• Separate business expenses from personal expenses to ensure the business is valued accurately.

As our client’s husband owned a lucrative business, and our client had no access to any of the records involved with the business, it was very important that we seek out the services of a forensic accountant. However, our client, not having any access to the marital assets or debts, could not afford to hire a forensic accountant on her own. She turned to us to help her ensure that her husband would help pay for the forensic accountant

Request for Order to Have Husband Pay for Forensic Accountant

We filed a request for order for our client, requesting that the court appoint a forensic accountant to assist with property division issues and that the husband pay for all of the costs associated with hiring the forensic accountant. We presented evidence to the court that our client could not afford to hire the forensic accountant and that she believed that her husband was hiding community assets. The court ordered that a forensic accountant be used in this case, and that the husband would pay all of the costs of the forensic accountant.

By using a forensic accountant, we were able to value the business and find hidden community assets so that our client’s property rights were protected. We then negotiated a fair settlement for our client. Our client was ecstatic that we were able to protect her financial well-being.

Call the Divorce Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich

If you are involved any divorce case, it is very important that you speak with an experienced divorce attorney at Wallin & Klarich. Our divorce attorneys have over 30 years of experience in handling complex divorce matters and possess the knowledge of the law and attention to detail necessary to help you to obtain the most favorable result possible in your case.

With offices located in Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Sherman Oaks, Torrance, West Covina, Victorville, and Ventura, we are always available, wherever you happen to live.

Call us today at (888) 749-7428. We will be there when you call.