If you are about to divorce you want to do what you can to get an appropriate settlement when dividing your marital property. One thing that can make this much harder is if you are unaware of the total assets you have.
Spouses are not always honest with each other about everything, and one thing that some do is hide assets from the other. They might do this long before the marriage ends, just in case things do not work out. Or they might only start to do it once it’s clear that divorce is imminent.
If you suspect your spouse may have hidden assets from you, the following are some good places to look:
1. In virtual currency
If you have little idea of how things like cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) work, then there is a chance your spouse could take advantage of your ignorance (or disinterest) to use them to conceal funds from you.
These virtual means of holding funds have become a popular place to hide money because even if someone does understand how they work and know their spouse has invested, they may struggle to access them.
2. By delaying money due
If your spouse usually gets a healthy bonus each year, but says they have not done so this year, you should probably be suspicious. It might be they asked the boss to hold off paying it until after the divorce is through.
3. By overpaying things
If you overpay your tax or certain other bills, you should be able to get a refund. But this can take quite some time. A crafty spouse might overpay tax safely in the knowledge that the refund will not be processed until long after the divorce is finalized.
If you are worried your spouse might be hiding assets from you, it pays to get legal guidance to explore your options.