Divorce Lawyer Money Wars

Dennis Vetrano of DRV Law is my guest on my Find Me The Money podcast this week, talking about Divorce Lawyer Money Wars. Dennis is a TikTok sensation with over 400,000 followers and he has vast experience with all aspects of divorce and family law. Everyone loves a good war story, so I thought it would be fun to have a divorce lawyer come on and talk about a few cases involving clients fighting about money. Dennis also shared some tips on common themes he sees and what to do about it. 

What if Your Spouse Beats You to an Attorney

If your spouse is already working with an attorney, it can be a nightmare. Dennis shares about working with a client whose husband had been working with a divorce attorney for a year prior to her getting her own attorney and help. This can be a huge challenge to overcome and you don't want to be blindsided. They likely have already moved money, hidden assets, and spent money.

Your spouse may craft creative ways to be paid that may not even be seen or accessible during your divorce. You want to know that your spouse is not moving assets prior to court orders and the only way to do this is to retain an attorney early. If divorce has ever come up or you are feeling a hunch, go with it and retain an attorney now. 

What the Judge Wants

Dennis talks about what it is like to go to court and how the court operates. You have to go to court with proof and a plan. You need proof of what you're telling a judge, and you'll need records for this. You can't go into court with an accusation you can't prove, or bring boxes of records no one has seen before. Be ready, and think about whether you need a forensic accounting expert.

Timing of Your Divorce 

Dennis shares a theme he is seeing in cases. If your spouse is threatening or otherwise trying to get you to sign something quickly, you need to slow things down. Do not get to the other side of your divorce and find that you missed major financial assets or income. Take your time. Investigate. Get help with the Divorce Money Guide and get the peace of mind you deserve. 

Divorce doesn't have to be an ugly process, but it is a process that takes time. If your spouse is rushing the process and pressuring you to "sign now or else," there is usually a reason and you need to figure it out. 

When Your Attorney Needs Help

Even the experts need experts at times to work on divorce cases. Dennis and I talk about when it’s time to get expert help on the money issues, because it’s not always obvious when you need help in your divorce case. We talk about doing what’s right when it comes to the money, what a lifestyle analysis is and when you might need it, and finding the proof you need about money shenanigans in divorce.

What About the Average Divorce 

When you aren't in a place to hire a forensic accountant or you need to understand what your forensic accountant did, you need to understand your financial life and documents. Dennis talks about his advice to clients about going through account statements and what he recommends. He encourages his clients to gather, go through, and understand financial statements, credit cards, and other assets themselves. You need to understand your money. Period. You know your spouse better than any expert and can often guide the process even if you are using an expert. 

Check out the full episode now to hear all of Dennis's war stories and advice.