Are your assets disappearing right before your pre-divorce eyes?

You worked long and hard to build a successful lifestyle in Utah. When your spouse filed for divorce, you were disappointed but not surprised. You really just wanted to get through the process and move on, without letting it ruin your life. You were, of course, concerned about your children’s best interests but confident you’d both work out an agreeable plan. Then, you began to suspect another problem — hidden assets.

That was a complete game-changer. This can be a very difficult problem to resolve if you don’t know your rights or where to seek support. You first noticed something askew when someone locked you out of access to your online bank information. You then made an in-person visit to the bank only to learn someone withdrew money from your joint account without your knowledge.

Start investigating at home

Spouses who wish to keep certain assets from being subject to property division laws in divorce often try to stash money or otherwise hide assets. The following list provides tips for beginning your own search and also resources that can help you fight for what’s rightfully yours:

• Search your closets, drawers, vehicle glove compartments, the basement and garage, as well as any other place you can think of where your spouse might try to hide money.
• If a friend or family member, or your spouse, mentions that your spouse is giving them money to payback a loan you did not even know had transpired, it’s a definite sign that you might be dealing with a hidden asset problem. Spouses use this means to hide money. The fake lender will simply hold the money until the court finalizes your divorce, then return it to your spouse.
• Run a search with your spouse’s name online. You might learn things you’d rather not know; then again, you might learn things you need to know to resolve a hidden asset problem.

Not only is hiding assets in divorce mean and heartless, it is highly illegal. While you’d like to assume the best about your spouse, you also don’t want to be taken advantage of and lose possession of assets that belong to you.

Because such situations are complex and often stressful, most Utah spouses suspecting hidden asset problems ask experienced family law attorneys for help. An attorney knows just what to do to confront such issues and help rectify problem situations.