When a couple gets divorced, the assets are supposed to be split in an equitable way. When one spouse decides to hide money or other valuables, they are interfering with that process and committing financial fraud. If you believe that your spouse may be committing fraud and trying to take advantage of you during the divorce process, you need to fight back. You need to contact the experienced Morris County, NJ divorce lawyers from our law firm.
Why Would My Spouse Commit Financial Fraud?
There are many reasons why someone might try to defraud their former spouse during the divorce process. They may be committing financial fraud because they:
- Were involved in an affair
- Have a gambling problem or addiction
- Have another bad habit, like drugs
- Are dealing with large amounts of debt
The reasoning does not matter. In a divorce, both spouses need to be honest about their assets and everything else. A person who tries to commit financial fraud in these proceedings needs to be held accountable.
What Are Some Red Flags to Look Out For?
There are some behaviors that you can be on the lookout for both during and after your marriage. You may notice things like:
- Your spouse makes a lot of cash transactions
- Your spouse is always moving money around, making it harder for you to keep track of
- You are asked to sign documents by your spouse, but you are not allowed to read them closely or look them over with a lawyer
- Your spouse constantly lying or misleading you about financial matters
- You are not allowed to access documentation about certain financial accounts
- Your spouse has credit cards and other accounts you did not know about before
Any of these things can be a sign of trouble.
What Can I Do If I Suspect Financial Fraud?
The first thing that you should do is tell your lawyer. They may be able to clear things up when they get other documents from your spouse’s lawyer during the discovery process. This should give you access to information about all of your spouse’s accounts and assets, even if you did not know about them before.
If you get your spouse’s documents during discovery and still suspect foul play, you do have another option. You can hire a forensic accountant to sift through everything in an attempt to find financial fraud. This can be a costly process, so whether or not it is worthwhile could depend on how much money you believe your spouse is hiding from you.
Contact Our Law Firm Today
If you need help with any part of the divorce process, including rooting out financial fraud, we can help. Contact Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark and schedule a consultation today. We would be happy to tell you more about how we can be of assistance in this difficult time.